The most recent macOS Mojave update suggests we’ll soon see new AMD Vega GPUs coming to the Mac.
Apple recently introduced a refreshed MacBook Pro with faster Vega graphics chips, and it seems those GPU upgrades will continue in early 2019 for other machines in the company’s lineup.
This week on The CultCast: Did you know about Apple’s super-secret special return and exchange policy? We’ll tell you what it is, and how to use it if you’re unhappy with your Apple purchase but outside your 14-day return window. Plus: A quest to trade up — the stories of three MacBook Pro owners trying to get Apple to trade in their newly purchased 2018 MacBook Pros for models with the brand new, smoking-fast Vega 20 GPUs. And finally, and most importantly: Happy Thanksgiving!
Our thanks to Gantri for supporting this episode. Gantri’s 3D-printed lights are both beautiful and affordable. Check them out in AR at gantri.com/cultcast, and use code CultCast at checkout for $20 off.
The biggest shopping day of 2018 is nearly upon us and Apple and Amazon are teaming up to take advantage of the spending bonanza.
As part of its new online sales deal with Apple, Amazon has recently added a bunch of Apple’s latest products to its authorized reseller page, some of which are a bit cheaper than on Apple’s website.
Up until last year, if you plugged a pair of headphones into your Mac, the speakers were effectively disconnected. There was no way to send simultaneous audio stream to both headphones and speakers. Now, with modern T2-equipped Macs, you can double up on audio. For instance, you could have alerts sound through the built-in speakers, with music routed through the headphone jack, so you don’t get notifications interrupting your banging tunes.
The best part is that its really easy to set up. And, if you prefer the old behavior, you don’t have to do anything.
In German, the boy’s name “Yohann” means “gift of god.” The same could be said about the Yohann MacBook stand, a sculptural walnut base divine in both look and function.
You may want to say a little prayer when you place your MacBook Pro on this elevating perch for the first time, though. You will wonder how this thing can support your rather expensive machine.
This week on The CultCast: You need to be prepared if you want to lock down the best prices on the best gadgets this Black Friday. We’ll tell you the strategies to use to grab all the good deals most shoppers miss. Plus: The new MacBook Pro GPUs are a huge upgrade, but we’re pissed. (We’ll explain.) Also: Why Apple’s stock has fallen off a cliff. And we’ll wrap up with a Steve Jobs story so mundane, the internet has become fascinated with it.
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first hosting plan or domain.
Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Pro got a big performance boost this morning with the new option to add Radeon Pro Vega graphics to the top-of-the-line model.
Apple quietly mentioned the update after its October 30 event, at which it revealed the new MacBook Air and iPad Pro. The option to add the Radeon Pro Vega graphics just went live on Apple’s site this morning — and the powerful upgrades do not come cheap.
A faulty component in some iPhone X units can cause the display to malfunction. Apple also just announced that some 13-inch MacBook Pro units have an SSD drive problem.
Apple will fix the screen or drive on affected units for no cost.
The dividing line between MacBook and iPad Pro gets narrower every year. The new iPad Pro models added a USB-C port, further reducing the differences. This is a good opportunity to consider which is the right choice for your next computer.
There’s a tremendous amount of overlap in what tablets and notebooks do. But each is better than the other at some things. For many people, a MacBook is still the best option. But for others, an iPad Pro is a better way to go. Read on for suggestions on how to decide.
Buyers of the new MacBook Air will be pleased to know that it’s much easier to perform a battery replacement.
Apple has glued its battery in place again, but according to a leaked internal document, it will provide authorized repairers with the tools required to remove it so that it can be easily swapped out when necessary.
Benchmark scores for the 2018 iPad Pro announced this week show that this tablet is faster than the 13-inch MacBook Pro released this summer.
Unfortunately, these same benchmark tests don’t clear up the some other mysteries about the new iPads.
Apple finally dusted off the MacBook Air. The 2018 model sports a brand new design, a gorgeous Retina display, and powerful upgraded internals. All of sudden, Apple’s most affordable notebook is up there with its best.
In fact, the new ultraportable is so good, you would be crazy to buy a 12-inch MacBook right now. So, how does the new MacBook Air stack up against the rest of Apple’s laptop lineup? Which model best suits your needs, and which delivers the best bang for the buck?
Find out right here in our comprehensive MacBook comparison.
Apple’s press event this morning was jam packed with new devices, including redesigned iPad Pros, an updated MacBook Air, and a faster Mac mini. But we still didn’t get everything we were expecting.
There were some notable absences from the ‘More in the Making’ event, and at least one glaring omission.
Apple didn’t totally leave out the MacBook Pro from receiving some new features today, even though the company didn’t give its most powerful notebook any stage time at today’s event.
While the MacBook Air, Mac mini and iPad Pro were the stars of today’s keynote in New York, Apple quietly revealed on its website that the MacBook Pro is getting a spec bump too.
Apple finally gave its Mac and iPad Pro lineups some much-needed love today during its big ‘There’s More in the Making’ event in New York.
Tim Cook and company brought out some new faces to introduce some gorgeous new products for the company’s last event of the year. Even though we already had a solid idea of what to expect, the company still managed to throw in some surprises and blow away our expectations.
These are the biggest takeaways from the More in the Making keynote:
mophie’s name for the powerstation USB-C 3XL doesn’t roll off the tongue, but there are plenty of MacBook/MacBook Pro users who should check it out anyway. This 26,000mAh battery is designed to quickly recharge an Apple tablet via USB-C, and can send power to an iPhone at the same time.
Just be warned, the price is enough to turn away some potential customers.
This week on The CultCast: Is Apple preparing to dump a bunch of much-needed Mac updates on us? We discuss. Plus: Something very strange is going on with the Mac — we fill you in. And is MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar actually useful? We give you our brutally honest opinions. And stay tuned for another episode of CultCast 2nd Hour. This time: Siri Shortcuts, explained!
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first hosting plan or domain.
The third quarter of this year wasn’t a particularly good one for Apple, with Mac sales dropping a significant amount. That doesn’t say positive things about sales of the 2018 MacBook Pro models that debuted this summer.
Still, the company held onto its place as the world’s fourth-largest PC maker.
In the event that your 2018 MacBook Pro or iMac Pro runs into problems outside warranty, would you try and save money by going to third-party repair shop? If so, Apple seemingly has some bad news for you.
According to a new report, Apple has introduced new software locks that will brick these machines if they’re operated on by anyone not using Apple’s proprietary diagnostic software. Failing to do so will, “result in an inoperative system and an incomplete repair.”
The number of Americans who own an iPad or other tablet computer increased marginally in the past two years. However, ownership of a laptop/desktop has dropped significantly in the same period.
Smartphone ownership stayed at the high rate it’s held since 2016. And that’s what’s really cutting into sales of traditional computers.
Best Buy is running another big Apple Shopping Event, with impressive discounts on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It’s just one of the awesome offers in today’s Deals & Steals roundup. We also have Apple-certified Lightning cables at a bargain price, and $20 off a great USB-C hub for MacBook.
Plus, you can save $60 on the Astro A20 gaming headset for Mac, and there’s still time to save $55 on the Belkin Valet charging stand for Apple Watch at B&H Photo.
If you use VMware Fusion to run virtual machines on your Mac, it’s time to upgrade.
Version 11 has arrived with full support for macOS Mojave, the 18-core iMac Pro, and the six-core MacBook Pro released this year. The upgrade also adds enhanced Metal graphics rendering, an updated user interface, and more.
Apple pushed out another supplemental update for the 2018 MacBook Pro lineup this week. Its release notes didn’t tell us much about the release, but the company has now explained exactly what users can expect it to do.
It’s not great news for MacBook Pro owners who have suffered crackling speakers.
Everyone wants to tote around less stuff, so add-ons that make your current gear more useful are welcome. And that’s just what the new PlugBug Duo by TwelveSouth does: it clips onto your MacBook charger and adds a pair of USB ports.
It’s especially handy for people who have a MacBook Pro with a USB-C port, but need to charge gadgets that take a traditional USB port.
MagSafe connection is no more, but Magtop Pro brings back that feature on new MacBook Pros with Type-C charging.
Magtop maybe the tiniest of Mac accessories, but there’s nothing small about its place between the end of your power cord and the Type-C socket.