★★★★☆
You'll always be able to find the Twelve South PlugBug 50. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Twelve South PlugBug is the first power supply to support Apple’s Find My technology. That means the USB-C wall charger can be located with an iPhone app, and it warns its owner if it’s being left behind in a coffee shop or hotel room.
One version includes a pair of ports and puts out 50W. A second has four USB-C ports and 120W.
I put PlugBug through real-world testing, and came out loving it.
Rolling Square AirNotch Pro and AirCard Pro tracker tags are louder than AirTag. Photo: Rolling Square
Rolling Square’s new AirNotch Pro keyring tracker uses a robust, water-resistant design. It’s louder than Apple’s AirTag, and even glows in the dark. Plus it connects to Apple’s Find My network.
The accessory-maker also unveiled AirCard Pro, a slim version for wallets and passports, on Monday.
Discover the difference between soft and hard resets. Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
Are your Apple earbuds acting weird? Sometimes you need to reset your AirPods Pro, AirPods Max or regular AirPods to eliminate connection problems and other minor glitches. You have two possible courses of action: a hard reset and a soft reset.
Follow this guide to learn the difference between those two options, plus how to reset, unpair and remove the earbuds from the Find My network.
Yep, another case solved by Apple location apps. Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
In a surprising incident at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, an Apple Watch played a pivotal role in helping a determined passenger track down her stolen luggage when Spirit Airlines couldn’t.
You expect this sort of thing from AirTag, a dedicated tracker. But this time, an Apple Watch and the Find My network came to the rescue.
Here's the car the sheriff's department tracked with the help of an errant AirPod earbud. Photo: Martin County Sheriff's Office
AirPods are great earphones, but did you know they can also be crime fighters? In Florida, a dislodged AirPod tracked an alleged hit-and-run driver after a bike-riding teen’s head went through his passenger window and the earbud popped out and got stuck under a floormat.
Location tracking on that little earbud led straight to an arrest on felony charges.
You can use Find My on your iPhone or another device to track the card. Photo: Nomad
The slim new Nomad Tracking Card works with Apple’s Find My app on your devices and recharges via MagSafe to help you keep tabs on your wallet, purse or other valuables, Nomad said Tuesday.
The credit card-sized tracker goes for $40 individually or $120 for a four-pack.
He not only carries a thermal detonator, he's got an iPhone 15 with Precision Finding. Photo: Apple
A new Find Your Friends ad Apple dropped Friday connects the Find My universe with the Star Wars universe, as Boba Fett uses his iPhone 15 in the video to locate fellow Mandalorians in a crowded mall. Or wait, maybe it’s a convention center.
Yeah, it’s a guy in homemade Mandalorian battle gear going off to find like-minded nerds at a raucous Star Wars convention. It’s pretty funny.
Remove your Apple ID without a password from your iPhone. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
It’s possible to remove an Apple ID from your iPhone without a password using UnlockGo.
You can unlock iCloud Activation Lock without a password or the previous owner, remove a forgotten Screen Time passcode without data loss, bypass MDM locks and more. It’s a really powerful app and it’s available for both Mac and PC.
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If you get a second-hand iPhone but find out the seller didn’t fully reset it beforehand, UnlockGo will fix it. Here’s how it works.
Google demonstrated its innovation by copying Apple's Find My. Photo: Google
Google thinks Apple’s Find My network is so clever it “borrowed” the idea. After announcing the system last year, Android’s Find My Device network is ready to locate misplaced handsets, tablets and tracking tags.
Aside from an opportunity to mock Google for its “innovation,” the new system is relevant to iPhone users because Rolling Square unveiled a pair of tags that support both Google’s and Apple’s system.
The affordable Momax Tracker Tag uses the Find My network to help keep track of your belongings. Photo: Momax
If you have a knack for losing items like car keys and handbags — or if you’re often targeted by thieves — you need a location-tracking device. And it doesn’t have to be Apple’s AirTag. That’s because you can get something very similar for less with the Momax Tracker Tag.
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The Momax Tracker Tag works with Apple’s brilliant Find My network, but costs much less than an AirTag. And you can get an extra-good deal on Momax’s tracking tag right now.
Google’s Find My Device system, a copy of Apple’s, won‘t arrive for months. Photo: Google
Google thinks Apple’s Find My network is so clever it’s “borrowing” the idea. But the upcoming extension of Android’s Find My Device network to tracking tags has been delayed — and Google says it’s all because of Apple.
The snafu supposedly stems from the companies working together on a scheme to prevent stalkers from misusing tracking tags made for the two rival platforms.
Pick up a few extra AirTags by taking advantage of this deal. Photo: Daniel Romero/Unsplash License
If you keep forgetting or misplacing things, an AirTag will make your life much easier. Apple’s tracking tag can help you track lost or stolen items, even when they are not within your iPhone’s reach.
And what’s better than one AirTag? Four! And while an AirTag four-pack retails for $99, Amazon is currently discounting them to $84.99.
★★★★☆
An integrated tracking tag sets HyperPack Pro apart from other high-end backpacks. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The HyperPack Pro has room for a 16-inch MacBook plus plenty of other gear in three big pockets, three more smaller ones plus more inner pockets. But what sets the backpack apart is a built-in tracker using Apple’s Find My technology so it can easily be found if misplaced or accidentally left behind.
I field tested the bag from Hyper by taking it on holiday. Here’s everything I love about it … and a few small issues.
A newly published patent filing shows Apple is exploring the possibility of building support for the Find My device locating system into a future version of the Apple Pencil. At the very least, the stylus might be able to play an alert sound to make it more findable.
Other products from the company already have this feature.
HyperPack Pro includes Apple's Find My technology so you can track it down if your lose it. Photo: Hyper
The HyperPack Pro has room for a 16-inch MacBook plus all your other gear, and the backpack includes a built in tracker using Apple’s Find My technology so it can easily be found if misplaced.
Coming soon to an iPhone near you? Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest iPhone 15 rumors make it sound like we’re getting some major changes on the design front. And, while the switch from Lightning to USB-C sounds like a winner, Apple might pull one of its irritating tricks by making a handy feature exclusive to the iPhone Pro models next year.
Also on The CultCast:
Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals on your favorite Apple gear.
COVID-19 chaos in the Chinese factory complex known as “iPhone City” points to further supply-chain disruptions for Cupertino.
Find My miracles!
Mondo’s Severance collectibles look like a really cool way to dig deeper into the most creative show on Apple TV+.
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
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This is absolutely your last chance to get forgetful Eron’s ridiculous CultCloth deal! These are the only cleaning cloths you need!
Get four AirTags for less than $20 each with this hot deal. Photo: Đức Trịnh/Unsplash License
Apple’s AirTags just dropped to a pre-Black Friday low of $74.98 for a four-pack on Amazon. If you’ve been waiting for your chance to snag some of the remarkably handy tracking tags, this is it!
But, as with all Amazon deals, there’s no way of predicting how long this deal will last. If you want to get in on the AirTag action, you’d better grab this deal ASAP.
They might look the same. but AirPods Pro bring powerful new features. Photo: Apple
At Apple’s ‘Far Out’ event, music lovers got a treat in the form of new AirPods Pro, Apple’s top wireless, noise-canceling earbuds — the first revision since their 2019 launch. The top-shelf buds keep the same design but gain support for personalized spatial audio, touch controls and precise location finding.
AirPods products are typically announced alongside new iPhones and Apple Watch models. Today was no exception, with their debut tying in with the new iPhone 14 and 14 Pro models, the new Apple Watch Series 8, SE and Ultra.
AirPods Pro 2 will be available for preorder on September 9 for a September 23 release date at $249.
When you look for an AirTag in Find My, you no longer see a battery icon. unless it's very low. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Yesterday’s iOS 15.6 update and the newest iOS 16 beta show a surprising move on Apple’s part. It took away the Find My app’s AirTag battery indicator.
Previously, when you opened an AirTag card in Find My, you’d see a small battery icon showing remaining power below the tracking device’s name and location, Now you don’t, or at least not until remaining power is critically low.
You can remove the Find My app from your iPhone in iOS 16 Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
iOS 16 will let you to delete the built-in Find My, Health, and Clock apps from your iPhone (or iPad) for the first time.
The company first added the ability to delete pre-installed system apps in iOS 10. It has since expanded the list of supported apps over the years. Why? Threats of antitrust legislation.
★★★★☆
Apple AirTag seemed kind of meh when it launched. It's gotten better in many ways since then. Photo: Auguras Pipiras/Unsplash
A year ago today, I reviewed the AirTag on launch day. I was unimpressed. Now that I’ve used Apple’s item tracker for 12 months, I can say it’s better than it seemed in my first impressions.
That said, there’s still room for improvement when Apple releases an AirTag 2 or AirTag Pro.
Our big peek into Apple's future plans is just two months away! Image: Killian Bell
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’ve got a date for WWDC22! Now, the only question is, what tricks will Apple pull out of its virtual hat this year?
Also on The CultCast:
Is Apple’s M1 Ultra chip ultra-disappointing? The first speed tests look underwhelming.
The latest on Apple’s quest to develop a folding iPhone.
Ukrainians use Find My to locate thieving Russian troops.
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.
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Find My AirPods can also track Russian troops. Photo: Franak Viačorka
Ukrainians have turned to Apple’s Find My device-tracking technology to follow Russian troop movements. After Russian soldiers stole Apple gear during the invasion, the devices’ Ukrainian owners can see and report on where the troops toting the gadgets are going in real time, including a recent retreat into Belarus.