No matter which iPad you have, Elago's magnetic stand can handle it. Photo: Elago
Labor Day weekend is always a great time to find deals on tech gear, including Apple computers, gear and accessories. And shockingly, some of those great Labor Day deals are still available from the Cult of Mac Store, Amazon.com and Woot!
Still, we don’t know how long all of these will last, so have at it!
Note: Many of the Amazon and Woot! sales highlighted in this post are still going strong. However, now that the Cult of Mac Store’s Labor Day Sale has ended, only the SwitchEasy deals are still available from our marketplace. (The SwitchEasy sale ends later this month.)
Add up to 2TB of storage to your Mac or iPad with this pocket-size SSD. Photo: Kingston
Kingston just took the wraps off the XS1000 External SSD. It’s about the size of pack of gum but holds up to 2 terabytes of data. And it can transfer files at high speed, too.
Or there’s the already announced XS2000, which is twice as fast. Just not for everyone.
The new C1000 comes in handy for outdoor and indoor (power outage) adventures. Photo: Anker
Two new Anker Solix portable power stations give you power for camping, home-backup and other off-the-grid power needs, the company said last week at IFA 2023 in Berlin, Germany.
Anker unveiled Anker Solix C1000 Portable Power Station and Anker Solix F3800 Portable Power Station at the show.
The iPhone won plaudits. Its price reduction? Not so much. Photo: Traci Dauphin/Cult of Mac
September 5, 2007: Just months after the first iPhone went on sale, Apple ditches its bottom-tier 4GB model and cuts the price of the 8GB version by $200.
A rare misstep (considering Apple’s usual mastery of the press), this tone-deaf PR move backfires immediately. Early adopters rage about shelling out premium prices for their first-generation iPhones. Fortunately, Apple makes good.
Aqara's new smart-home products roll out in the coming months. Photo: Aqara
Aqara showcased its new Smart Lock U200, Camera E1, Dual Relay Module T2 and Ceiling Light T1M at IFA 2023 in Berlin, Germany, last week, the company said.
The products support the Matter home automation standard and should go on sale in the coming months, Aqara said.
Cypher 007 is one of four games joining Apple Arcade in September. Image: Tilting Point LLC/Apple Arcade
Blofeld, the criminal mastermind and head of Spectre, is once again scheming to defeat James Bond in Cypher 007. The action game launches for a range of Apple devices in late September on Apple Arcade.
And there are three more games headed for Apple’s gaming subscription service in September.
mophie took the wraps off its first four Qi2 accessories designed for both iPhone and Android. Photo: mophie
Add mophie (and its parent company Zagg) to the list of accessory-makers jumping on the Qi2 bandwagon. It unveiled a collection of wireless chargers that use the new standard that’s heavily based on Apple’s MagSafe, including magnetic attachment.
Both Belkin and Anker also announced Qi2-compatible products designed to work equally well for iPhone and Android.
Magic Keyboard for 2024 iPad Pro could look a lot more premium. Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
Apple’s Magic Keyboard for the revamped 2024 iPad Pros could feature an aluminum top case. This could make the accessory more like a laptop.
Like Macs, the aluminum area around the keyboard will give the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro a premium look and feel. It also should make the case a lot sturdier when holding the tablet.
Will the iPhone 15 and 15 Pro colors really look as drab as rumors indicate? Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple’s invite for the September 12 “Wonderlust” event offers potential clues about what to expect. Mostly it makes us wonder: Will Apple ever release an iPhone in a truly bold, lust-worthy color?
The main thing we can agree on is that it looks like the iPhone 15 colors might be more boring than usual.
Also on The CultCast:
We’ll miss Apple’s leather cases if the company really does pull the plug.
3D printing with metal could be a game-changer for the manufacturing process. If anyone can do it, Apple can.
AirPods might receive the USB-C upgrade they deserve next month.
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.
Watch Major League Soccer on a wide variety of devices, including TVs, tablets and phones, not only ones made by Apple. Photo: Apple
The Major League Soccer playoffs kick off in October, and fans can watch all the action with an MLS Season Pass that’s now available at less than a third of the cost it was earlier.
Sega's classic arcade and console rhythm game Samba de Amigo is now playable on your Ap[ple devices. Photo: Sega/Apple Arcade
Shake to the rhythm of the beat in the revival of Sega’s Samba de Amigo: Party-to-Go. The game debuted in arcades and on consoles more than 20 years ago, and is now available for an Apple TV, Mac and more.
It’s this week’s addition to the Apple Arcade gaming service.
Oh, if we could just play this version. Photo: Basic Apple Guy
Designer Basic Apple Guy has appeared on Cult of Mac a lot lately, but with new wallpaper coming out that makes it looks like Apple CEO Tim Cook and other execs are in a new version of classic game Grand Theft Auto, how can we slam on the brakes now?
Released Friday, “Grand Theft Auto Cupertino” wallpapers are available for free download!
Anker MagGo Qi2 power bank features a display on the side, plus a kickstand. Photo: Anker
Just ahead of iPhone 15’s release, a squad of Anker charging accessories featuring Qi2 wireless charging — like MagSafe, but for everyone — rolled out at IFA Berlin, the company said Thursday.
New and updated products include MagGo magnetic chargers, power stations and banks with Qi2, plus updated USB-C Nano chargers and more.
The new Qi2 spec is said to work with upcoming iPhone 15 series handsets at 15W of fast-charging power without MagSafe certification.
A lot of people want to know what that delightful wallpaper is. See below. Photo: [email protected]
A well-lit and well-equipped computer setup can evoke peace and productivity at the same time. Today’s Mac Studio rig exudes a zen-like calm despite being a total powerhouse.
It features a well-mounted Studio Display, a slick mechanical keyboard with wrist rest, a sleek external drive as well as tidy pegboard storage for AirPods Max.
An Apple executive went in depth on why images in iCloud Photos are not scanned for child sexual abuse material. Image: Apple
Apple gave a more complete explanation of why it cancelled a plan to scan iCloud Photos libraries for child sexual abuse material. It’s the same reason it gave back in 2022, but with more detail.
It all comes down to user privacy, and the potential for the system to be abused by hackers and repressive governments.
If this is your MacBook Pro, we have some kind of bad news for you. Photo: Apple
Two of the MacBook Pros that launched back in 2017 just got a bit harder to get repaired. That’s because they’ve been added to Apple’s official list of vintage devices. This includes the 15-inch model introduced in 2017 and one of the two 13-inch MacBook Pros.
But it’ll be years before they’re listed as obsolete.
The BoostCharge Convertible Qi2 Wireless Pad to Stand works equally well for iPhone and Android. Photo: Belkin
Qi2 is the future of wireless chargers and Belkin is already on board. On Thursday, it took the wraps off a pair of accessories that use the emerging standard.
Qi2 was created to bring the advantages of iPhone’s MagSafe to Android. Wireless chargers from Belkin and other companies that support the standard will work equally well for Apple and Samsung, etc. handsets, as long as they support Qi2.
Soon you'll be able to stream via AirPlay 2 from your iPhone or iPad to your active speakers, amplifier or soundbar. Photo: Eve Systems
Eve Play, an audio streaming interface that lets you stream via AirPlay 2 from an iPhone or iPad to an amplifier, active speaker or soundbar, will come out soon, Eve Systems said Thursday.
The little black box — Eve’s first audio device — also integrates with other AirPlay 2 devices like HomePods. But the new device doesn’t ship until November 14, so you’ll have to wait a bit.
John le Carré, aka David Cornwell, is the subject of Errol Morris' documentary The Pigeon Tunnel. It premieres October 20 on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple
The upcoming documentary The Pigeon Tunnel is the final interview with John le Carré, who wrote many best-selling novels about spies and was an MI6 agent himself.
A just-released trailer for the biopic shows the British spy-turned-author discussing his very usual life. The film will premiere on Apple TV+ this fall.
If that screen doesn't intimidate you, this might be the program for you. Photo: Apple
Security researchers can boost their iPhone research, work with security teams and help protect users — all while earning bug bounties for finding credible threats — if they apply to the 2024 iPhone Security Research Device Program, Apple said Wednesday.
File an application by October 31 to get your special iPhone for security research.
Stainless steel Apple Watches are the test case for a new manufacturing process using 3D printers. Photo: Apple
Apple is testing a 3D-printer-based manufacturing process for some of its upcoming Apple Watches that could radically change how it manufactures products generally, a new report said Wednesday.
In testing, the company is using 3D printers for the stainless steel chassis of some wearables. It may prove more eco-friendly and economical, cutting down on materials needed.
The iPhone 15 series might not have much for fans of bright colors. Photo: Sonny Dickson/Cult of Mac
Apple reportedly will produce the iPhone 15 in an array of mostly muted colors. New images of mockup units show the upcoming handset in five generally pastel shades.
The iPhone 15 Pro series supposedly will be available with a different, smaller range of colors.