Two brazen thieves grabbed thousands of dollars worth of MacBooks from a California Apple Store. Screenshot: CBS New York/Apple
Four teens in hoodies brazenly snatched a bunch of MacBooks and iPhones from an Apple Store in California this weekend. The crime is very similar to one committed in New York last week.
The brazen thefts took place so close together it’s not impossible the second was inspired by the first.
Are you ready for Apple to make Macs "pro" again? Photo: Cult of Mac
This week on The CultCast: Finally — new evidence shows that a Mac refresh is right around the corner. Plus: MacBook Pro is about to get the feature we’ve all been wanting; Apple is rebuilding its Maps app from the ground up, and it looks magnificent; Apple’s new Seattle flagship store is stunning; and we pitch a wood-wrapped iPhone case, waterproof camping lights, and a great new reading app in an all-new Under Review!
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Apple has this week registered new iPads and Macs with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC).
The filings hint that a big refresh could be just around the corner. Recent reports have promised that Apple is preparing a slew of new devices for a late 2018 launch alongside the next-generation iPhone lineup.
Despite faster connections, display support hasn’t improved. Photo: Apple
Apple is apparently planning to upgrade the MacBook Pro line to the latest generation of Intel processors. Benchmarks for a macOS laptop running a “Coffee Lake” chip showed up on Geekbench.
The eight-generation Core i7-8559U CPU in this device has a base frequency of 2.7GHz, but a maximum turbo speed of 4.5GHz. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, and was built with a 14nm process.
Apple's got some new hardware cookin' for us. Photo: Apple
This week on The CultCast: Apple plans new, improved AirPods, HomePod and over-ear headphones; Apple finally acknowledges its new MacBook keyboards suck, and they’re going to make it right; a top Apple analyst drops a bunch of details on Apple’s 2018 product pipeline; and how Apple is trying to solve a fascinating issue their autonomous car.
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.
Save $300 on an ultralight Apple laptop that's perfect for students. Photo: Apple
In today’s edition of Deals & Steals, we have select models on the latest MacBook Air for a phenomenal deal. Plus, you can get an (ugh) Galaxy S9, FIFA 18 and a pair of Bose wireless earphones — all at neat discounts.
Another lawsuit accuses Apple of knowingly using a defective MacBook Pro butterfly keyboard in laptops like this one, Photo: Apple
Thinking perhaps that third time’s the charm, another lawsuit has been filed claiming that the keyboard used in the MacBook Pro is defective. Like the two prior ones filed last month, this seeks to become a class action.
All of these suits claim that the keys in Apple’s laptop can become permanently jammed, and a very expensive fix requires replacing the entire keyboard and other components.
Apple CEO Tim Cook on stage for WWDC 2018. Photo: Apple
Apple still has a bunch of new devices up its sleeve for 2018 — not including the new iPhone lineup — but we won’t see any of it at WWDC.
A new report claims we can expect refreshed MacBook and MacBook Pro models, a more affordable machine to replace the MacBook Air, a new iPad Pro with Face ID, and a new Apple Watch. However, we’ll have to wait until later in the year to get our hands on them.
The Core X is $200 cheaper than the Core V2. Photo: Razer
Razer today updated its lineup of eGPU enclosures, adding a more affordable model that’s finally compatible with macOS. The Core X is $200 cheaper than its sibling, the Core V2 — and in some ways, it’s even better.
A second screen that’s as portable as your MacBook. Photo: AOC
Adding an additional screen to your setup can result in a huge boost to productivity. And now it’s even easier for those who work on the go, thanks to AOC’s portable USB-C monitor.
This 15.6-inch screen is slim and light enough to take anywhere, and it can be hooked up to your MacBook or MacBook Pro using a single cable.
There are growing reports, tons of complaints, and a new petition claiming the butterfly keyboard in the new MacBook Pro has a critical design flaw that can’t be fixed. This episode we explore the issue with Matthew Taylor, creator of the keyboard recall petition, who tells us what’s going wrong with Apple’s butterfly keyboard, why it can’t be fixed, and why almost 26,000 people are demanding it finally be recalled.
Plus: stick around for a innovative new iPhone gimbal, a very cool throwback iPhone case, and the perfect green screen for your Twitch or Youtube streams in another tech-packed roundtable of our favorite new gadgets.
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In this week's Cult of Mac Magazine: Spigen's new iPhone X case is inspired by the original iMac G3, bringing some retro charm to Apple's latest handset. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
In this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine: iPhone case-maker Spigen is launching a set of iPhone X cases inspired by the original see-through iMac G3 and the first-generation iPhone.
With a see-through outer shell, Spigen’s Classic C1 resembles the original iMac. The case commemorates the 20th anniversary of the machine, which Apple launched in 1998. The iMac was the first of a string of hit products following Steve Jobs’ return that turned Apple around.
Replacements for a 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro battery from five years ago are available with no waiting. Photo: Apple
Apple ran short on a very vital part of the Mid 2012 and Early 2013 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display for over a year. But it now reportedly has plenty of batteries for these models in stock once again.
For months, Apple had been forced to waive the fee on battery replacements on these older models because customers were having to wait so long for the part to become available.
The butterfly keyboard used in the MacBook Pro and MacBook has now drawn both a recall petition and a lawsuit. Photo: Apple
A lawsuit filed in federal court claims that the keyboard used in all the MacBook Pros and MacBooks made in the past few years is defective. The plaintiffs request that this be made into a class-action lawsuit, and that Apple be required to replace all the affected keyboards at no cost to users.
The lawsuit also requests punitive damages because, as the plaintiffs claim, Apple continued to build and sell laptops with the “butterfly” keyboard even though the company knew it was defective.
Refurbished iPhones and MacBook Pros get the job done for less. Photos: Apple, JemJem
Refurbished Apple gear carry prices ranging from great to unreal. This week, you can get fantastic deals on refurbished iPhones, MacBooks and iPads. (Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping refurbs.)
Plus, get a deal on the new space gray Apple Magic Keyboard!
A new petition calls for Apple to recall the MacBook butterfly keyboard, which can fail when a speck of dust gets in the wrong place. Photo: Apple
The butterfly keyboard in recent MacBooks draws frequent complaints. And these have now escalated to the point where an online petition is requesting that Apple recall every MacBook Pro released since 2016.
These laptops are super-slim, and so are their keyboards. Reducing the thickness left room for very little key travel, resulting in accusations that even a small speck of dust underneath one of the keys can cause it to stop functioning.
Anyone who bought a 13-inch MacBook Pro (non Touch Bar) in the last year and a half should check if it needs a new battery. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple admits that some MacBook Pro laptops have a problem that causes their batteries to swell up. The company is replacing these free of charge.
This affects only the non-touchbar version of the macOS laptop, and only models with a 13-inch screen. In addition, the device needs to have been produced in a specific timeframe.
Get the best deal around on the best laptop around. Photo: Apple
This week you can find big discounts on the MackBook Pro and a refurbished MacBook Air. Plus, you can save big on refurbished iPhones, discounted iTunes gift cards, and combo charging stands for your Apple gear.
What might Tim Cook announce at this years WWDC keynote? Photo: Apple
What’s next for Apple? We’ll find out in June, when the company hosts devs from around the world at the Worldwide Developers Conference 2018.
Every year, the event gives Cupertino execs a chance to show off Apple’s new software and hardware. It’s a chance for outsiders to get a direct look at what’s in the Apple product pipeline. In the video below, we round up all the latest WWDC 2018 rumors to give you a heads-up about what’s on the horizon.
An analyst predicts increasing demand for the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. Photo: Apple
The number of MacBooks shipping in 2018 will grow by double digits, if a reliable analyst’s prediction proves correct. That would give Apple’s laptops stronger annual growth than iPhone or iPad.
A dual-screen MacBook could look a little bit like this. Illustration: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple engineers are looking into a laptop that uses a touchscreen in place of a keyboard. The second screen would be slightly flexible, allowing keys to depress. It would also be extremely customizable –basically like a giant Touch Bar.
It’s about time we saw that new MacBook Air. Photo: Apple
Apple will deliver a “more affordable” MacBook Air this year, according to one reliable analyst.
The existing MacBook Air lineup remains pricey, despite being incredibly outdated. Apple asks customers to cough up at least $999 for fifth-generation Intel processors and a low-resolution display.
Johny Srouji’s team is in charge of modem development. Photo: Apple
Apple is said to be planning “at least three” new Macs with custom security co-processors for 2018. Two of the machines will be updated MacBooks, while the other will be a desktop, according to a source familiar with the plans.