When you run a ton of peripherals with your Mac, how do keep it all connected and running smoothly? Well, today’s featured M4 Pro Mac mini user drives a pair of 4K external displays, runs a power hub and input devices, and keeps backups on portable storage devices. And they keep it connected without a hitch using the well-regarded CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 hub named “Element.”
With all the mousing and typing people do, you’d think products designed for ergonomic comfort — and to help avoid repetitive-strain injuy — would crop up in more computer setups. Well, today’s MacBook Pro and Mac Pro rig answers the call. The user, a smarty-pants undergrad at Harvard, relies on a Logitech MX Vertical wireless mouse setup plus a Logitech Pop Keys Mechanical Keyboard for data input.
So, you’ve been dreaming of owning an iPad Pro but weren’t quite ready to drop more than a grand on one? Good news: Your tech dreams just became a lot more affordable. This grade-A refurbished iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 4th Gen, 2020) is available for just $699.99 — $400 off the original price.
A university student calling themselves a “broke Harvard undergrad” while showing off a computer setup loaded with older and newer Apple hardware is bound to take some ribbing from social media on various levels. But today’s data-science number-crunching setup makes impressive and thrifty use of newer and older gear, including a 2023 M3 MacBook Pro, a 2013 “trash can” Mac Pro and a 2018 Intel MacBook Pro, plus a 2021 iPad Pro and a PlayStation 5 console.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: An interesting new gadget called the Flexbar takes Apple’s doomed Touch Bar idea and runs with it. Instead of being fixed in place like on the MacBook Pro, this customizable OLED strip connects to Macs and PCs via USB-C.
It looks pretty cool! But can it succeed where the Touch Bar failed?
Also on The CultCast:
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The next big iPad Pro refresh will arrive in the second half of 2025 at the earliest, according to a new report. The upgraded M5 iPad Pro reportedly will be the first product to use the next-gen Apple silicon chip.
Apple surprised everyone by launching this year’s iPad Pro refresh with an M4 chip.
There’s no better tablet to buy than an iPad. Apple overhauled the iPad Pro lineup this year with a slimmer new design, brighter displays, and a faster M4 chip.
I upgraded to the 11-inch iPad Pro from the M1 version earlier this year and could not be happier. This Black Friday, you should buy one, too, especially since the tablet is available with a big $150 discount.
Trend alert: Folks are talking on social media sites and YouTube about using iPad as an external display for the new M4 Mac mini. Why? Well, as today’s setup user notes, the combination creates a credible mobile solution. And as others point out, it’s economical. Mac mini is a sensational value. And for a few hundred bucks more you can add an iPad (or you may already have one) and a few other inexpensive elements to make it work. But still, plenty of people see this and just say, “get a MacBook.”
Trying to decide which Apple tablet is right for you? Knowing which is the most popular might help. And there’s no doubt which one earns the top spot: iPad Pro.
You can probably guess the second most purchased iPadOS model.
iPad shipments grew only slightly last quarter, according to a market research firm, despite the release of new high-end and mid-range tablets in the spring. The lack of a new entry-level tablet from Apple significantly affected the shipment total.
Still, Apple itself showed a larger year-over-year bump in revenue during the third quarter of 2024 from this class of computer.
Normally, you pay a lot for a jumbo iPad Pro, but sometimes a sale comes along and you can get that big-screen tablet at a steep discount. Like, for instance, this near-mint refurbished 12.9-inch iPad Pro for just $399.99.
It’s a third-gen model from 2018, but it’s still great for a wide variety of uses. And it doesn’t cost $1,299 like the latest model does.
The new iPad mini (7th generation) came out Tuesday, and other new models are likely to follow soon — but, as usual, the biggest savings are in older models, including current Amazon deals on iPads. Right now you can get some pretty serious discounts at Amazon on a variety of iPad models, including M4 iPad Pro, M2 iPad Air, 9th- and 10th-generation iPads and the previous iPad mini (6th generation). Some models are $200 off! See below. And it’s not just iPads, but Apple Pencils and iPad keyboard cases, too.
It’s that time of year again, Amazon Prime Day (the fall edition, October 8 and 9). So the early deals flowed starting over the weekend, with the full-on sale hitting with even better deals on Tuesday and Wednesday. We’ll show you the best Amazon Prime Day deals on Apple gear, from AirPods to iPads to MacBooks to Studio Display. And that includes Apple audio subsidiary Beats, too. Click on the links below, and return to this page often — deals are subject to change, often for the better, and we’ll add more as we find them.
Update: Though prices on some items continue to fluctuate, Amazon has extended most deals beyond Wednesday.
Apple temporarily stopped allowing access to the iPadOS 18 upgrade for the M3 iPad Pro. A bug apparently bricked some tablets during the installation process for the new version.
The problem only affects the iPad Pro M4. And if you already made it through the update process, there seems nothing to worry about.
You can now buy refurbished M2 iPad Pro and M1 iPad Air from Apple’s online store in the US. They are available with up to 20% discounts on their retail price.
Apple unveiled these iPads in 2022, with the M1 iPad Air launching in March 2022 and the M2 iPad Pro in October.
M4 iPad Pro has been out a while, so some big retailers, like Best Buy, are offering bigger and better deals on the last models with the M2 chip (you know, to get rid of them). They’re still amazing tablets, and you can get up to $1,000 off M2 iPad Pro‘s regular prices. And that’s without having to be a Best Buy member (sometimes their best deals are reserved for members).
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Many users out there on social media can’t seem to get enough external displays into their computer setups. Sometimes we see as many as six big screens. But don’t forget a simple way you can always add another small screen. Namely, don’t just add your MacBook open on the desk or on a stand. Include your iPad, too. Today’s M1 MacBook Air user proudly has his M4 iPad Pro mirror on Studio Display as it sits in the mix on a Twelve South stand.
Macs have gained ground in the gaming world with the rise of Apple silicon chips, as those M-series chips massively boost performance. But sometimes you just want to play on a console rather than your computer. Today’s MacBook Air user switches to Xbox One for gaming. And he gave simple advice, below, to curious commenters who wanted to know how he gets the system to work with his Studio Display. He describes his method below.
We’ve seen a trend for some time of people using massive smart TVs as external computer displays because they want something even bigger than most purpose-built monitors. But regular monitors are catching up. We’ve seen a few 49-inch curved gaming displays out there, of course, and today’s MacBook Pro setup uses a giant 43-inch Dell flat panel with 4K resolution.
Not everyone keeps an iPad in their computer setup, especially when it’s not their main computer. But today’s M2 Pro MacBook Pro user does. And as commenters on his post noted, he may have found the perfect placement for his iPad Pro stand. He seems to get his laptop and tablet mounts working in perfect unison, within view and also within easy reach.
Some great deals on Apple gear only last for a day, like Woot’s nice discounts on 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2021) and Beats Solo3 headphones. Others may last longer, but for an unknown amount of time, like the price war we’ve been tracking between Amazon and Best Buy. Loads of M3 MacBook Pro models are on sale. See some sample below.
Some people prefer two or more displays in their computer setup, some go for just one — often a big one. Today’s outstanding MacBook Pro setup, run by an Apple admin no less, goes ultra-wide and then some with a 49-inch curved Samsung display. It’s massive. If you like customizing your Apple devices, you may also want to check out how to name my iPhone and personalize your setup further. It’s massive, and if you’re considering a Viewfinity option, take a look at this Samsung ultra-wide monitor setup.
The number of iPads shipped during Q2 2024 grew sharply when compared to the same quarter of last year, according to market analysts. It’s the first year-over-year increase in Apple’s tablet shipments since 2022.
The long-awaited launch of powerful new iPad models is credited for the improvement.
Amazon bargain site Woot! currently runs a sale with deals on iPad and MacBooks, including brand new, new (open box) and refurbished models, through August 6. Discounts range up to 31% off. So let it be Christmas in mid-summer with some new (to you) Apple gear.
“Jobs nods his head in approval from the Clouds,” Woot! says at the top of the sale page.
Are you ready for some football … with iPads? This upcoming college football season should see plenty of Apple tablets teaming up with coaches and players on the sidelines. Two powerhouse NCAA Division I conferences — Southeastern (SEC) and Atlantic Coast (ACC) — recently struck deals with Apple to use iPads in college football games.
iPad’s “unique capabilities and versatility make it the ideal solution to support coaches and student-athletes,” said Scott Brodrick, a manager in Apple’s worldwide iPad product marketing group. “With an unrivaled combination of advanced displays, powerful performance, portability, fast connectivity, all day battery life and versatile accessories, iPad will let coaches and players make in-game adjustments and empower athletes to compete at the highest level.”