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News - page 122

Apple Music Classical expands to iPad

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Apple Music Classical for iPad
The Apple Music Classical application now supports large tablet screens.
Photo: Apple

The Apple Music Classical app that launched for iPhone earlier this year has been updated with support for the larger screens on iPads.

The app offers access to the world’s largest classical music catalog, with more than 5 million tracks. It’s free for Apple Music subscribers. If you’re interested in Mac music, you can find more insights in Apple Music Classical listening guides. This is just one of many apple digital services expanding across devices—learn more about it on Apple Music Classical on the web.

PlayStation 5 owners get 6 months of free Apple Music subscription

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Apple Music noted its most popular song and artists of 2022.
Offer is only applicable for new and returning users though.
Photo: Apple Music

Apple and Sony have teamed up to offer six months of Apple Music free to PlayStation 5 owners. The offer is only valid for new or qualified returning users, not existing subscribers.

Apple’s music streaming now comes with a relatively short one-month trial period. So, this promotion could be a boon for users on the fence about trying Apple Music.

MagSafe miracle: First Qi2 chargers arrive by Christmas

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Apple’s MagSafe fuels new Qi2 wireless charging standard
Qi2 is MagSafe for iPhone and Android.
Photo: WPC/Cult of Mac

The Wireless Power Consortium promised Wednesday that the first chargers using the emerging Qi2 standard will be on the market in time for the holiday season.

Qi2 unifies wireless charging for iPhone and Android, bringing the advantages of Apple’s MagSafe to rival handsets.

Congress wants to know why Apple TV+ axed Jon Stewart’s show

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The Problem with Jon Stewart
Did Apple's working relationship with China cause the cancellation of "The Problem with Jon Stewart"?
Photo: Apple TV+

Following last month’s abrupt cancellation of Apple TV+ commentary series The Problem With Jon Stewart, members of Congress sent a letter to Apple asking whether the show’s potential coverage of China played a role in the series getting the ax.

The lawmakers want to know if “the coercive tactics of a foreign power” were a factor in Apple’s decision.

Modern fashion rises from flames of WWII in The New Look drama on Apple TV+

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Ben Mendelsohn stars as Christian Dior.
Ben Mendelsohn stars as Christian Dior in "The New Look" on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Legends Christian Dior and Coco Chanel launched modern fashion design amid the horrors of Nazi occupation in Paris, according to the first look Apple TV+ provided Wednesday for The New Look.

Boasting a star-studded cast, the 10-episode historical drama series premieres February 14.

Find the perfect monitor riser for your desk [Setups]

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Mac mini setup Studio Display on monitor riser
Though most monitors come with adjustable stands, adding a monitor riser provides benefits to any computer setup.
Photo: [email protected]

Whether you call them monitor risers, desk shelves or display stands, finding the right one for your desk’s size can be a huge boon to your computer setup. Today’s featured Mac mini workstation benefits from a compact Balolo stand sitting toward the back of a small desk.

You can see that choice desk shelf and several other options below, along with all the setup’s gear, including a Studio Display and marvelous high-end headphones.

Tiny new Opal Tadpole webcam offers 4K quality on the go

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If your laptop's webcam isn't doing it for you, you might try the new Tadpole from Opal.
If your laptop's webcam isn't doing it for you, you might try the new Tadpole from Opal.
Photo: Opal

The ex-Apple and Beats folks behind the DSLR-like Opal C1 Webcam are back with a tiny new webcam claiming even better picture quality in an ultra-portable package for use with laptops and tablets — the Opal Tadpole.

And unlike the C1, which launched at $300 and dropped to $250, the Tadpole comes out of the gate at $175.

Why MacBook buyers should choose M3 Max chip over M3 Pro

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Why MacBook buyers should choose M3 Max chip over M3 Pro
It might be worth going with the M3 Max for the huge performance gain.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Professionals looking for a more powerful MacBook will get really significantly more performance by upgrading to an M3 Max processor instead of the M3 Pro.

It’s no surprise that the Max version of one of Apple’s new chips is faster than the Pro, but many people might not be aware how very much faster it is.

iPhone 14 gets another year of free Emergency SOS via satellite

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iPhone 14's Emergency SOS via Satellite comes to the rescue again.
iPhone 14's Emergency SOS via Satellite comes to the rescue again.
Photo: Apple

Apple is extending free Emergency SOS via satellite on the iPhone 14 Pro series for another year. The company initially promised two years of free access for the phones when they launched in 2022.

Emergency SOS via satellite allows the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 series to connect to emergency services without mobile network or Wi-Fi access.

iOS 17.2 beta 3: All the features and changes

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iOS 17.2 release notes
Time to try out iOS 17.2 beta on your iPhone!
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A week after seeding the second iOS 17.2 beta, Apple has released the third beta of the OS. The first two beta builds were loaded with new features, and iOS 17.2 beta 3 is no different.

Below are all the changes and enhancements we have found in iOS 17.2 beta 3 so far.

Samsung T5 EVO portable SSD offers a whopping 8 terabytes of storage

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Samsung T5 EVO SSD in use
There's room for years of images and videos on the new Samsung T5 EVO solid state drive.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung just launched the T5 EVO, a consumer-oriented solid state drive that provides up to 8 terabytes of storage, the most currently available in a portable SSD.

And the lower-capacity versions cost less than the equivalent Samsung T9 pro-grade drives that also hit store shelves recently.

Top apps and games: Apple names 37 App Store Award finalists

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App Store Award finalists for iPhone apps
If you're looking for reliably good apps and games, this is a fine place to start. These are the apps for iPhone finalists (AllTrails, Duolingo and Flighty).
Photo: App Store

Apple’s App Store named its apps and games of the year for different devices/services plus other App Store Award finalists Tuesday. All told, it recognized 37 apps and games whose developers “are delivering exceptional experiences and making a profound cultural impact.”

And in a matter of weeks, we’ll find out who the winners are, the company said.

Save tunes you hear on TikTok straight to Apple Music

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TikTok Add to Music App
If you come across a cool tune, you can add it to your library with a click.
Photo: TikTok

Even if you only hear a snippet of a tune on TikTok, now you can add the whole song directly to Apple Music or another music-streaming service.

TikTok’s new Add to Music App launched Tuesday in the United States and the United Kingdom. It works with Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music and other music streamers.

Store and charge Apple gear with the super-cool BentoStack

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You can use the BentoStack to neatly store you Apple accessories (and charge them).
You can use the BentoStack to neatly store you Apple accessories (and charge them).
Photo: Function101

Ever order a bento box from a Japanese restaurant, with sushi and other foods in separate little compartments? The Function101 BentoStack Charge 8000 is like that  — except it holds Apple accessories you want to store at your desk or tote around. Plus, it charges them.

The BentoStack comes with four useful compartments that you can use as trays. And it features a rechargeable power bank.

Apple Pencil 2 drops to its best price in this pre-Black Friday deal

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It's not the first time Apple Pencil 2 has been this cheap, but you may never see a lower price.
This is the Apple Pencil 2 deal ahead of Black Friday that you should not miss.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

You can get the incredibly useful Apple Pencil 2 for its lowest price ahead of Black Friday. Amazon is taking $40 off the iPad accessory, dropping its price to $89.

The Apple Pencil 2 works with iPad Air, iPad mini 6, and iPad Pro to make note-taking and drawing a breeze.

iPhone Tap to Pay expands to France

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Tap to Pay on iPhone empowers businesses to securely accept Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets by using an iPhone and a partner-enabled iOS app.
Tap to Pay enables businesses to use an iPhone to securely accept Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets.
Photo: Apple

French iPhone users now have access to Tap to Pay, which enables businesses to accept contactless payments from credit cards directly on their iOS handset – no additional hardware required.

The service has been gradually roiling out around the world since it launched in 2022.

Coming ‘ultrasonic’ revolution could change wireless earbuds forever

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xMEMS Cypress
The Cypress ultrasonic speaker promises a leap in digital sound quality.
Photo: xMEMS

xMEMS Labs is bringing what it calls breakthrough technology to the wireless earbuds market late next year after a CES 2024 debut — the Cypress ultrasonic speaker. It turns ultrasonic waves we normally can’t even hear into full-frequency, hi-res audio with remarkable detail, the California-based semiconductor company said Tuesday.

The solid-state microspeaker, which will find its way into various companies’ earbuds and headphones — hello, AirPods? — generates low-frequency sound pressure for a full bass response, according to xMEMS Labs.

That makes the ultrasonic speaker a true replacement for legacy speaker technology that has only been refined, not replaced, since your great-grandparents rocked the Victrola.

Coyote vs. Acme animated film might land on Apple TV+

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This is supposedly a screenshot from
Apple TV+ might be the savior for Coyote vs. Acme.
Screenshot: Warner Bros.

Apple is reportedly on the list of streaming services with the option to acquire Coyote vs. Acme, a film Warner Bros. made but recently decided to not release.

It’s a story of Wile E. Coyote attempting to catch the Road Runner from the classic cartoons. John Cena stars in the film.

Beautiful workstation serves up double the fun with dual everything [Setups]

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Want a highly functional and symmetrical setup? Get two of most things.
Want a highly functional and symmetrical setup? Get two of most things.
Photo: [email protected]

A New York City-based magazine editor showed off a beautiful computer setup that serves up twice the fun because it boasts two of everything. Well, not everything.

But it doubles up on a lot of the main gear — two M3 MacBooks Pro, two Studio Displays, two sets of Philips Hue smart lights, a pair of Yamaha speakers on stands and, believe it or not, two Magic Trackpads and a Magic Mouse.

Read more about the setup’s whys and wherefores below, and check out that gear list of links at the bottom of the article.

M3 vs. M3 Pro MacBook Pro comparison: Should you go Pro?

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M3 vs. M3 Pro MacBook Pro comparison
Should you save your money and get the M3 MacBook Pro instead of M3 Pro?
Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh

The base model in the new 2023 MacBook Pro lineup comes with Apple’s standard M3 chip. This model, which replaces the discontinued 13-inch MacBook Pro, costs $400 less than the next model up, which runs on an M3 Pro chip.

The two laptops look almost identical. The big question is, will the entry-level M3 MacBook Pro suit your needs? Or should you spend the extra $400 and get the one with the M3 Pro chip? Find out in this comparison.

Sideloading iPhone apps could arrive in the EU next year

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App Store
Europeans will soon be able to make an end run around the App Store by sideloading iPhone applications.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

The good news is that iPhone could finally allow users to install applications directly starting in 2024, according to a reliable source. The bad news is that being able to go without the App Store will only be an option in Europe.

To be clear, sideloading is required by EU law so it’s definitely happening. The timing isn’t clear, though.

12.9-inch iPad Air could launch in early 2024

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iPad Air and iPad Pro
A 12.9-inch iPad Air could join the 12.9-inch iPad Pro in 2024.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple could overhaul its tablet lineup in 2024, delivering the first 12.9-inch iPad Air and upgrading iPad Pro models to OLED displays and the company’s fast new M3 chip.

The upgrades could help boost iPad shipments to between 52 million and 54 million units in 2024, up from about 50 million in 2023.

These are the only two M3 MacBook Pros you should buy [The CultCast]

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The CultCast episode 620. These are the only two M3 MacBook Pros you should buy.
Not every M3 MacBook Pro is created equal.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Erfon breaks down the specs/performance of Apple’s recently released MacBook Pro lineup, and he’s convinced there are only two models any sane person would buy. Listen to found out which models make the grade!

Also on The CultCast:

  • Apple reportedly slammed the breaks on the development of next year’s iPhone and Mac operating systems to concentrate on busting bugs. But was the pause really that big of a deal?
  • Elgato made a simple, smart change to its USB-C cables — and every manufacturer should follow suit.
  • An intriguing rumor indicates Apple might have a battery breakthrough in the works.

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.

Even more reasons Humane’s Ai Pin is a total bust

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On-screen text says
Why Humane's introductory video for the Ai Pin begins with co-founder Imran Chaudhri shuffling a series of boxes stacked like a snowman I do not understand. And that is just the first five seconds of the dreadful presentation.
Photo: Humane

In a tedious and awkward 10-minute video released Thursday, buzzy startup Humane gave a more thorough introduction of its Ai Pin. The video all but confirms my feelings that we are seeing the next hilarious Silicon Valley failure play out in real time.

Since co-founder Imran Chaudhri’s TED Talk earlier this year, where we got a vague introduction to the supposed iPhone-killer’s features, there remained a slim chance — one in a hundred — that the then-unnamed device wasn’t a total waste.

Any ounce of doubt has been washed away as this new video doubles down on the Ai Pin’s flaws and walks back its only positives. In fact, the introductory video clearly demonstrates why the device will fail: The AI gave completely wrong answers and provided no way to check their accuracy. It’s absolutely untrustworthy. This highlights the broader concerns surrounding Humane AI and its ability to provide reliable and accurate assistance.