With Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference just a week hours away, anticipation is building for what looks like one of the company’s most momentous events in years. In addition to the next versions of iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and macOS, Apple reportedly plans to use its WWDC23 keynote on June 5 to showcase some very interesting hardware.
Here’s a roundup of what to expect from the WWDC23 keynote, which streams live at 10 a.m. Pacific today.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: With WWDC23 just days away, we’re going on the record with our predictions for Apple’s most momentous developer conference in years. Will iOS 17 allow alternative app stores? Will the Apple headset cost $3,000? Will our reputations survive this public guessing game?
Also on The CultCast:
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.
Apple could launch two new high-end desktop Macs at WWDC23 next week. Labeled internally as Mac 14,13 and Mac 14,14, the two machines could be Apple’s most powerful Macs yet.
Likely aimed at professionals, the new desktop Macs — likely updated versions of the Mac Studio — reportedly will feature M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips. The rumored specs point to big performance boosts.
Whether you’re a Mac-loving photo editor, a Windows-loving student, or just about anything in between, you probably could benefit from having Microsoft Office on your computer. But if you’re thinking that you’d hate to add another monthly subscription to your list, don’t worry.
This offer for a lifetime MS Office license for either Mac or Windows is available for a one-time purchase of $29.99 for a limited time. This new price drop takes it back to Cult of Mac Deals’ all-time low price. However, the price goes up on June 1.
Part of the fun of covering computer setups for Cult of Mac is seeing how a setup is never “done.” Blood, sweat, tears and time may go into it, but it will always need something — whether that’s missing functionality, better decoration or the next generation of a key device.
Today’s featured M2 MacBook Air setup is a good example. Since we featured an earlier version of it just weeks ago, the user made important changes. He added two components to maximize crucial iPad functionality and pump up audio.
After a long wait, Final Cut Pro, Apple’s professional video editing software, is now available for M1 or newer iPads. Editors accustomed to Final Cut Pro on their Mac can easily switch to their iPad as a portable editing machine.
However, before starting with Final Cut Pro on your iPad, you need to know how it differs from the Mac build. Both versions enable pro-level video editing, but they are understandably different in key ways.
What’s the best VPN to use on a Mac, and how do you use a VPN for data privacy? With Intego Privacy Protection, you can instantly connect to servers all around the world, including ones specially optimized for streaming. This advanced VPN comes with plenty of options for keeping your data secure and private.
You can set it to automatically open when you start your Mac, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to launch it. Intego’s international servers, which are optimized for streaming services, worked perfectly in my testing. I’ll show you how to get started with one of the best VPNs for Mac.
Want to buy a new MacBook Air? Apple’s old but still powerful M1 MacBook Air is available with a whopping $199 discount on Amazon.
This fantastic deal brings the value of the machine down to $799.99.
Selling your old Mac or passing it to a friend or family member? It is always a good idea to reset your Mac to factory settings before doing so.
This ensures the machine wipes clean all your data, so you won’t have to worry about any privacy problems. The best part is that Apple makes it very easy to reset a MacBook, iMac or Mac mini to its factory state.
Two weeks from today, Apple will launch the first 15-inch MacBook Air, according to multiple tipsters. This will be the largest consumer-oriented notebook Apple has ever offered.
You don’t need to wait for WWDC23 to get the details, though. Here’s everything that has leaked out about this soon-to-be-released Mac.
The Mac mini with M2 processor is a bargain at its regular price, and $100 off makes it an even better deal. That cuts the price of Apple’s newest desktop to less than $500.
That’s for the base model — and you can save even more by jumping up to the version with an M2 Pro and double the RAM and storage.
Apple reportedly began internal testing of Macs powered by next-generation M3 chips. At least one of the variants could feature a 12-core CPU, an 18-core GPU and 36GB of system memory.
The next-generation Apple silicon remains a few months away from release, however. Rumors suggest it could debut at the end of this year or early 2024.
Each generation of laptops comes with its own quirks and improvements, but a Mac is still a Mac. That’s why when it comes to a workhorse laptop, you don’t need to automatically turn to the newest, shiniest model on the shelf. Buying refurbished Apple gear is an incredible way to get a a high-quality computer without overpaying.
For sleekness and portability at an incredibly affordable price, this refurbished MacBook Air is the solution. You can grab one now for only $247.99, along with an included protective case.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: What will WWDC23 bring us? In addition to a sweeping look at the future of all Apple’s platforms, it sounds like we’ll get some major new hardware. Yes, there’s that $3,000 AR/VR headset, but there’s also something we really want: a 15-inch MacBook Air.
Also on The CultCast:
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.
For this week’s giveaway, we teamed up with SwitchEasy, maker of one of the finest MacBook cases around. Two lucky winners will bag a SwitchEasy Urban MacBook Sleeve.
Made of water-resistant threaded polyester material, these laptop cases will protect a MacBook from scuffs and scrapes. And they look good while doing so!
The amount of money Apple will pay you to trade in a previous-generation iPhone just increased. And that’s the second time this spring. The same holds true for Mac and iPad.
So, if you have an older Apple device sitting around, it might be worth more than you suspect.
You can use a free Mac app called LocationSimulator to hide your real location on your iPhone. It works great as a Pokémon Go spoofer. Just set it up, then plug your phone into a Mac and tell it where you want to “be.” You don’t need to jailbreak your phone or install anything on it.
When using LocationSimulator, every app on your iPhone will use this new GPS location. It’s useful for maintaining privacy — for instance, if you’re posting screenshots online, it’ll mask your real home address. Developers can use it, too, for testing location features in their apps.
Best of all, you just need a Mac. LocationSimulator is free and open-source.
You can currently get Apple’s beautiful and powerful M1 iMac for less than $1,000. The 24-inch all-in-one computer is currently available for $999.99 after a massive $499.01 discount.
The deal is on the more powerful eight-core CPU variant of the 24-inch iMac, which ships with two Thunderbolt ports and two USB 3 ports.
Update: Amazon sold out of these units so the deal is now over.
Update: We hope you jumped on this MacBook Pro deal as soon as we posted it, because it looks like it evaporated.
Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro is down to its lowest price on Amazon. You can get the machine with a discount of as much as $250.
The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro is listed with a $250 discount, bringing its price down to $1,749. This is the cheapest the machine has been available for since its launch earlier this year.
Macs offer great value, but they aren’t necessarily cheap. After all, Apple’s most affordable laptop, the MacBook Air, currently starts at $999. If you need a capable computer that you can take anywhere, but you don’t have enough cash on hand to buy a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro outright, you have options.
★★★★★
If you’re the right kind of person, the Untitled Folder Wallet by Nik Bentel is handy and practical while doubling as a funny visual joke. It’s a premium leather wallet that happens to look exactly like the New Folder icon in macOS.
It has three pockets for carrying cards, cash and coins. The leather is soft and the stitching holds strong. And best of all, it’s shaped like a tiny folder.
It’s a limited-run item of only 500 units, so if you want one, you’d best order now. I’ve been using it for about a week. Surprisingly, I fell in love with it.
Mobile Pixels just started taking preorders for updated versions of Trio and Trio Max, clip-on accessories that add not one but two external displays to a MacBook or other notebook.
Don’t think these products will trap you in the office — the add-on screens are intended for use on the go.
The new versions offer larger screens in thinner, lighter designs. And there’s a new attachment system, too.
Is it possible to get work done on an Apple silicon Mac without ever installing Rosetta 2, the compatibility layer for running old Intel apps? In short, yes.
After buying my first Apple silicon Mac earlier this year, I was curious if I could get settled into my new computer without Rosetta. And I was successful. I’ve been writing articles, making videos and recording podcasts for more than a month, and I haven’t yet come across a mission-critical app that’s Intel-exclusive.
Whether you work remotely or from the office, your monitor setup offers telltale signs about the productivity of your space. Having one massive screen is handy for combing through paperwork, organizing spreadsheets and creating presentations. But utilizing multiple screens? That’s a game-changer.
To truly power up your productivity, this Geminos 24-inch dual-screen monitor allows you to easily work on two screens in an ergonomic, stacked style. It’s perfect for both sitting and standing desks. And right now, you can grab it for only $699.99 (regularly $799), the best price on the web.
Whether you’re just learning how to code, you’re studying computer science or you’re a well-seasoned Mac developer, these three apps are sure to help you in your work. I have an app that adds a whole slew of new features to the Xcode Simulator, one that makes it easier managing packages in Homebrew and a better way to download and install Xcode.
All of these tools are, themselves, open source. There are links to each GitHub repo where you can learn from them and compile them yourself.