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How to make iCloud more secure with Advanced Data Protection

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You now have the option to have more of your iCloud files encrypted, including images. Here's how.
Apple's operating systems give you the option to encrypt much of the data stored on iCloud.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple offers end-to-end encryption for many more types of iCloud data than it once did. Advanced Data Protection encrypts iCloud Photos, Notes, iCloud Backup and more. But you have to activate the feature to take advantage of the data protection. It is easy … once you find the switch buried in Settings.

We can save you some time. Here’s how and why you should activate it.

Apple’s amazing desktop robot looks straight out of Pixar

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Apple desktop robot
Control the lamp naturally, using gestures in the air.
Photo: Apple

Everybody loves Pixar’s beloved toy-lamp mascot, Luxo Jr., right? Apple just made a new lamp-like robot prototype that looks super similar. The iPhone giant’s machine learning research team developed an expressively social robotic prototype in desk-lamp form, according to a recent paper, blog post and video.

The new robot could figure into rumored plans for a robotic home hub — and it could reshape how we interact with smart home devices.

Next-gen Apple M5 chip already in mass production

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Apple M5
Apple M5 is ready to replace the M4.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The Apple M5 processor is reportedly now in mass production in Korea, ready to improve the performance of Macs and iPads later this year.

With production already taking place, it’s possible the M5 will launch as an Apple product in the middle of the year, and not wait until autumn. As Apple continues to integrate AI capabilities into its chips, many users are looking for insights on how to use Apple AI to enhance their workflows.

Today in Apple history: Stephen Colbert shows off iPad early at Grammys

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Stephen Colbert shows off a prerelease iPad during the Grammy Awards show.
Jay-Z didn't get one of these in his gift bag.
Photo: Grammys

February 1: Today in Apple history: Stephen Colbert shows off iPad early at the Grammys February 1, 2010: The tech-loving world goes into meltdown at the sight of comedian Stephen Colbert using a prerelease iPad to read nominations during the Grammy Awards show.

“Jay-Z, did you not get one of these in your gift bag?” Colbert quips from the stage. “Am I cooler than you?”

The celebrity sneak peek is all part of Apple’s big (and wildly successful) plan to hype its upcoming tablet.

Mind-melting stats from Apple’s profitable earnings call

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AI-generated image of Apple logo apparently made of silver-colored liquid metal, with the words
Some of Apple's impressive numbers are so large, it's hard to wrap your head around them.
AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

We went through Apple CEO Tim Cook’s earnings call with investors on Thursday, and found some genuine surprises during the discussion of the financial results of the holiday 2024 quarter. We also turned up impressive figures showing just how well the company is doing.

Financial details don’t have to be boring. Here are the high points from the call as quickly and as interesting as we can make them.

Charge Apple gear on the go with this beast of a power bank

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CukTech 30 Power Bank released
With a 40,000mAh battery and 300 watts of total charging power, CukTech 30 dominates.
Photo: CukTech

For Apple users seeking a high-capacity portable power solution for all their gear, the new CukTech 30 Power Bank packs a massive 40,000mAh battery, combined charging power of up to 300 watts for up to five devices at once and some useful features, the company said Wednesday.

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs introduces us to the iPad

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The iPad launch shook up the tech world, with the tablet computer becoming Apple's fastest-selling device.
Did you own an original iPad?
Photo: Apple

January 27: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs introduces us to the iPad January 27, 2010: After months of rumors and speculation, Steve Jobs publicly shows off the iPad for the first time. Aside from the name, which some people joke sounds like a female sanitary product, the first-generation iPad immediately earns critical acclaim.

“The last time there was this much excitement over a tablet, it had some commandments written on it,” The Wall Street Journal quips.

When it goes on sale a few months later, the first-gen iPad quickly becomes Apple’s fastest-selling new product ever.

Dynamic new Black Unity Collection celebrates Black History Month

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2025 Black Unity Collection
The new Black Unity Collection honors Black History Month, and celebrates Black culture and community.
Photo: Apple

Apple unveiled its latest Black Unity Collection Monday to celebrate Black culture and community. It features an innovative Apple Watch Sport Loop and watch face that bring the Pan-African flag colors to life through groundbreaking design technology, the iPhone giant said.

And as usual, the annual release for Black History Month in February includes iPhone and iPad wallpapers in addition to the Apple Watch features.

New MacBook, iPhone and iPads could launch in just weeks

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Apple winter event
A whole slew of products could launch at a possible Apple winter 2025 event.
Photo: Gemini/Cult of Mac

Apple appears ready to start 2025 strong by launching a new low-price iPhone, a faster MacBook Air and a pair of revamped iPad models. These could come at a possible Apple winter event as early as February, though the wait might be longer.

An Apple winter event isn’t a given. The company could simply issue a series of press releases introducing the new products. No matter what, you don’t need to wait until the official announcements to know what’s in store. Here are the rumors available on all four upcoming devices.

iPad Air with quicker M3 chip appears imminent

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Woman working on 13-inch M2 iPad Air
A faster iPad Air with the M3 chip could debut soon.
Photo: Apple

An iPad Air with a speed boost is on the way, according to a report posted Friday by a generally reliable source. The tablet won’t have Apple’s latest processor, though.

And a cheaper alternative, the iPad 11th generation, also could launch soon. If you’re considering an upgrade, take a look at the iPad Pro M3, which brings even more power and features. Check out our M3 iPad Air review for more details. If you’re interested in how Apple’s premium tablets stack up, check out this iPad Pro review for insights into performance and features.

CES 2025’s best and weirdest new gadgets [The CultCast]

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Image of person wearing Nanoleaf's IR therapy mask, plus the CultCast logo (episode 681).
Nanoleaf's new LED therapy face mask: bargain-basement Iron Man or high-tech luchador?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: First, Erfon recounts his recent, extremely lengthy trip to the Apple Store to check out the latest MacBook Pros. He put the nano-texture screen to the test — and came back with a surprising verdict. Then, we discuss some of the coolest — and some of the weirdest — new gear shown off at CES this week.

Also on The CultCast:

  • The iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11 won’t arrive as soon as some Apple rumormongers suspected.
  • Dell “borrows” Apple’s iPhone naming convention to simplify to its product lineup … and then blows it!
  • Griffin wraps up with a pro tip that you almost need to see to believe.

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.

What to expect from iPad, iPad Pro and iPad Air in 2025

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iPads in 2025: Product shot of two iPads with yellow tint to illustrate story about iPad 11th generation and other upcoming new models.
The 11th-generation iPad is just a few months away. And new iPad Pro and iPad Air models are on the way, too.
Photo: Cult of Mac

2025 will finally bring the much-anticipated 11th-generation iPad, a version of the budget tablet with a faster processor capable of accessing the latest Apple Intelligence features.

In addition, expect faster iPad Pro and iPad Air models in 2025 — one sooner than might be expected.

How to set up your new iPad the right way

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Set Up iPad
Let's get your new iPad up and running.
Photo: Apple

Congratulations — you got a new iPad! Whether it’s the entry-level iPad that brings the essential features to an affordable price, the iPad Air with the powerful M2, the pocketable iPad mini or the top-of-the-line iPad Pro, you’ll want to set up your new device with the least amount of fuss.

We’re here to help you do just that with a ton of little tips and tweaks that will make sure you’re off and using that new iPad as quickly as possible. From backing up your old iPad (if you had one already) to getting up and running with a brand-new iPad from scratch, we’ve got you covered.

Today in Apple history: Apple’s new tablet is called … iSlate?

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Today in Apple history: December 24, 2009: Pre-iPad rumors indicate Apple will call its tablet the
Pre-iPad rumors indicate Apple will call its tablet the "iSlate."
Illustration: Apple/Cult of Mac

December 24: Today in Apple history: Apple's new tablet is called ... iSlate? December 24, 2009: As rumors of a possible Apple tablet reach the boiling point, word spreads online that the new device will be called the iSlate.

The news is based on the fact that Apple quietly acquired the domain name iSlate.com a few years earlier. Since Apple did the same thing for the iPhone back in the late 1990s, years before the iPhone actually debuted, it makes total sense that the company would follow suit with the naming of its tablet.

Of course, that didn’t end up happening.

Apple M5 processor might put in an early appearance

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M5, M5 Pro, M5 Max
Expect the M5, M5 Pro and M5 Max processors in 2025.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

It’s a safe bet that the Apple M5 processor will start replacing the current M4 in 2025, and it might even happen in the first half of the year.

That’s according to a roadmap of when the various versions of the chip will go into production leaked Monday by a reliable source of insider Apple information.

iOS 19 might not cut off any older iPhones

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iOS 19 render logo
iOS 19 will supposedly work with iPhones launched in 2018.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Apple might not drop support for any of its older iPhones with iOS 19. The next big iOS update reportedly will support the same devices as iOS 18.

However, iPadOS 19 supposedly will not be compatible with the seventh-gen iPad.

Super-size folding iPad won’t have visible screen crease

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Folding iPad concept
A folding iPad remains on Apple’s drawing board.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

One of Apple’s design goals for a much-rumored iPad with a 20-inch folding display is that the screen won’t develop a visible crease, according to a reliable source of insider information.

Whether the folding device will be a Mac or an iPad isn’t clear yet — but it’s possible it will be both!

Refresh your screens with these vibrant, cubist wallpapers

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best new wallpapers
Never mind the holiday themes, let's have some colorful cubism.
Photo: Basic Apple Guy

Designer Basic Apple Guy started the last month of 2024 by releasing yet another fresh and interesting set of wallpapers for your Apple devices. They’re the “vibrant and minimal cubist-inspired” Liminal Spaces series, released December 2. They might be the best new wallpapers I’ve seen this month.

And they’re certainly an interesting alternative to holiday themes. For me, the light, colors and shapes composed in the wallpapers brought to mind not only cubist art, but abstract expressionist Richard Diebenkorn’s landscape paintings.

Score a refurbished iPad mini 5 for $279.99

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Product photo of four models of refurbished iPad mini 5 with a white background
Grab an iPad mini for less with this refurb deal.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Looking for a device that’s small enough to carry anywhere but powerful enough to handle everything? This fifth-gen, grade-A refurbished iPad mini combines portability and performance, and it’s on sale for a limited time for just $279.99.

With Wi-Fi and cellular capabilities, a sleek 7.9-inch Retina display and the powerful A12 Bionic chip, it’s the perfect mix of productivity and entertainment.

Today in Apple history: World’s first iPad-only newspaper folds

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The Daily iPad newspaper was a great, but ultimately failed, experiment.
News Corp's experiment with an iPad "newspaper" came to an ugly end.
Photo: The Daily

December 3: Today in Apple history: iPad-only newspaper The Daily closes December 3, 2012: News Corp pulls the plug on The Daily, the world’s first iPad-only newspaper, less than two years after launching the publication.

While the writing has been on the wall for some time, the closure is a blow for those who view the iPad as the savior of the traditional publishing industry.

Turn on gentle rain and ocean sounds while you work

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Relaxing Rain Sounds For Work
Chill out and silence the sounds of your environment with the sounds of rain, the ocean and more.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac/W.carter/Wikimedia Commons

Working in an office or in the city, you’re probably inundated with noise from people chattering, cars running and nearby music. Your iPhone has a built-in feature called Background Sounds for playing rain noises or white noise to tune it all out.

You don’t need to download any apps or pay a cent; it comes for free on your Mac and iPhone. Let me show you how it works.

Get all-time low prices on iPads for Cyber Monday [Updated]

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iPad Black Friday deals
iPad 10 comes in four delightful colors.
Photo: Apple

We don’t recall seeing low prices on standard iPads any lower than a couple you can find right now on Amazon for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Those low price tags are on an iPad 10 (Wi-Fi only, 64GB) at $50 off as well as iPad 10 Wi-Fi + Cellular models for $50 off. Plus you can nab an iPad 9 model for up to a record $138 off, depending on which color you choose. Check the links below and gift yourself or someone else Apple’s entry-level tablet.

Update: Since we first called out the savings below on November 14, nearly every iPad Black Friday deal had gotten better. We also updated the post for Cyber Monday.

Apple Cyber Monday deals: iPads, AirPods, Apple Watch and more [Updated]

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A graphic illustrating Apple Black Friday deals.
All the insanely great deals we can find on Apple products on Cyber Monday.
AI image: MidJourney/Cult of Mac

There are plenty of great Apple deals this Cyber Monday 2024—but not from Apple directly. As usual, Apple keeps its discounts minimal (Tim Cook loves his big fat profits!). This year, you can get up to a $200 gift card with select purchases, but the newest products, like the iPhone 16, M4 MacBook Pros, iMac, and Apple Watch Ultra 2, aren’t included.

That said, third-party retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and B&H Photo are offering significant discounts on a ton of Apple gear. From AirPods to iPhones, Apple Watches, and iPads, you’ll find some fantastic deals. Here’s a roundup of the best offers we’ve come across.

The iPad I recommend most costs just $279 on Cyber Monday [Updated]

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Apple 10th generation iPad in hand.
The 10th-generation iPad is the best entry-level iPad in years, and I recommend it to most people.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple’s cheapest iPad just got cheaper. The iPad 10th-generation, the cheapest iPad in Apple’s lineup, is on sale for just $279.

This is a great deal for the best entry-level iPad Apple has made for years. It’s the iPad I recommend to most people. I just bought one myself. The price was just too good to pass up.