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

WWDC23 kicks off June 5 with online event

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Apple WWDC23 announcement
WWDC23 will happen June 5 through June 9, with loads of big announcements expected.
Image: Apple

The official invitation to Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2023 went out Wednesday, confirming we’ll get our first look at what’s on the company’s near-term agenda on June 5. Apple promises WWDC23 will bring an opportunity “to learn the latest about Apple platforms, technologies, and tools.”

In other words, expect new versions of iOS, macOS and more — including a possible first look at the company’s long-rumored AR/VR headset (along with the software that will power the device).

WWDC23 will kick off with a keynote on June 5 and run the rest of that week. Even in this post-pandemic world, the event will be mostly online. However, a fortunate few developers and students will be able to watch the video keynote from Apple Park.

Driver in Apple Store crash indicted on murder and other charges

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In the crash, the SUV plunged into Apple Derby Street in Hingham, MA.
In the crash, the SUV plunged into Apple Derby Street in Hingham, MA, causing a gaping hole in the glass and pinning people against the back wall of the store.
Photo: Apple

Bradley Rein, who allegedly crashed his SUV into an Apple Store in Massachusetts in November 2021, was indicted Tuesday. He faces second-degree murder, assault and other charges, a new report said.

The crash in Hingham, Massachusetts, killed one person and injured 22 others.

Under-desk mount keeps pesky Mac mini out of the way [Setups]

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In the
In the "after" shot, the desk is a little more clear because the M1 Mac mini is nowhere to be seen.
Photo: naked-na-sandali12@Reddit.com

There’s much to be said for hiding stuff under your desk. And we don’t mean cramming it down there like you shove junk under your bed. We mean mounting it properly out of sight. It gets said stuff — computers, docks, cables — off the desktop for a cleaner look to your setup, not to mention a more-efficient workspace.

Today’s featured setup uses an inexpensive acrylic mount to stash an M1 Mac mini and connected cables under the desk. Below you can see images of the mount itself as well the “before” shot of the setup. The “after” shot appears above.

Wozniak, Musk and leading researchers urge pause on ‘out of control’ AI

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The letter doesn't refer to the
The letter doesn't refer to the "rise of the machines" a la "Terminator," but it could have.
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

A new open letter signed by tech leaders urges a six-month pause on development of advanced artificial intelligence applications that may pose “profound risks to society and humanity.”

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, other tech execs and many AI academics signed the letter. It urges caution concerning “emergent” AI more powerful than GPT-4. We’re not talking Siri here (at least not yet).

iPhone 15 Pro will use new microprocessor to power capacitive buttons

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iPhone 15 already in trial production
Here's how iPhone 15 Pro's capacitive buttons will allegedly work.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac/Pixabay/Pexels

Apple will include a new low-power microprocessor to power the iPhone 15 Pro’s capacitive buttons. This will enable the solid-state buttons to function even when the phone is switched off or has a dead battery.

The new microprocessor will also take over other low-power tasks like Apple Pay Express Card and Find My functionality. Apple’s A-series chip currently handles these tasks in super low power mode.

New Apple Store in Seoul opens Gangnam style!

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The distinctive glass facade of the new Apple Gangnam store in Seoul, South Korea.
Just look at that gradient frit!
Photo: Apple

The new Apple Store that opens Friday in South Korea looks a little different than your typical sparkling shrine to the empire that iPhone built.

The new Seoul store’s striking facade features a “completely new gradient frit and mirrored coating treatment that blurs the transition from top to bottom,” Apple said Tuesday in a press release previewing Apple Gangnam. The building’s unique face also “shifts in appearance during different times of day or seasons.”

Fritted glass — which is “printed with ink that contains ultra-small particles of ground-up glass – a.k.a. ‘frit,'” according Dip-Tech — proves popular with modern architects. (To me, it just looks cool.)

iPhone and iPad hop on Sid Meier’s Railroads! gaming train

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Ready to build an empire by rail?
Ready to build an empire by rail?
Photo: Feral Interactive

Here’s your chance to build an empire of rail — and even beat notorious railroad barons of yesteryear at their own game. Take that, Cornelius Vanderbilt.

The classic strategy game Sid Meier’s Railroads! arrives April 5 on mobile devices including iPhone and iPad. And you can preorder now via the App Store thanks to Feral Interactive.

This new robot vacuum really gets you

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It vacuums, mops, avoids objects and, apparently, understands your commands.
It vacuums, mops, avoids objects and, apparently, understands your commands.
Photo: Ecovacs

Ecovacs Robotics’ newest robot vacuum, the Deebot T10 Omni, includes its own artificially intelligent voice assistant named Yiko, which features natural language processing. Sorry, Siri.

The premium vacuuming-and-mopping bot joins the new Deebot N10+ and T9+ vacuums in the lineup. And it comes at a deep launch discount through March 30.

Stylish magnetic hoop stand holds iPhone or iPad securely

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SwitchEasy's MagEasy Flipmount is a sturdy stand for iPads, iPhones and other devices.
SwitchEasy's MagEasy Flipmount is a sturdy stand for iPads, iPhones and other devices.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

It’s almost magical how an MagSafe iPhone sticks so firmly and easily on magnetic stands and chargers. But your devices don’t actually need to be MagSafe-enabled to enjoy that kind of mount — not if you have the MagEasy FlipMount Magnetic Hoop Stand. It’s MagSafe-compatible, sure, but it also takes older, unmagnetized iPhones, iPads and practically anything else.

That’s because the handy, flexible stand comes with adhesive magnetic hoops — also sold separately — that can make almost any device MagSafe-compatible. Both the stand and hoops are available now in the Cult of Mac Store.