Jony Ive's design firm LoveFrom worked on the new Linn Sondek LP12-50 turntable. Photo: Linn Products Limited
If Apple made a turntable, would it cost $60,000? Almost certainly not, but that’s the lofty price tag on the new 50th anniversary Linn Sondek LP12-50, sketched out by former Apple chief designer Jony Ive and his firm LoveFrom.
It’s his first hardware design project since leaving Apple in 2019. And he did it for free.
How would you improve this setup? See others' advice below. Photo: [email protected]
On social media we see plenty of people flaunting pristine computer setups, and even completely staged ones. But plenty of them are “lived in,” and some aren’t necessarily complete. People sometimes call out for help: “How do I make this better?”
Today’s featured M1 MacBook Air setup is example of the latter. The user asked for advice and got it. But he didn’t agree with some of it. See below.
You're probably going to wish you bought the thing when it was merely expensive. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
When former Apple design honcho Jony Ive released his super-premium Apple design book in 2016, a lot of folks thought it was an overpriced ego trip. After all, Designed by Apple in California went for $299 for the large size and $199 for the small size.
And now? Well, now you’d be lucky to get the fancy coffee-table books for dollar amounts in the high hundreds and low thousands.
A hilarious short film demonstrates the power of the iPhone 14 Pro camera. Photo: Apple
A short film commissioned by Apple demonstrates that the iPhone 14 Pro can be used to make a movie. In this case, a short action comedy called Huracán Ramírez vs. La Piñata Enchilada.
Apple also released a “making of” video to show how the film was made with an iPhone 14 Pro.
Vision Pro's modular parts allow a custom fit, but that means special accommodations in Apple Stores. Photo: Apple
Apple will reportedly require you to make an in-store appointment to buy the Vision Pro headset when it launches next year. This is the same strategy the company employed for the Apple Watch launch in 2015.
Apple plans to set up special demo zones inside its stores when the $3,500 headset goes on sale in the United States in early 2024. The company reportedly will utilize custom tools to make sure accessories fit buyers’ faces.
Spotify is making sure it doesn’t pay Apple anything it doesn’t absolutely have to. Photo: Cult of Mac
All Spotify subscribers who’ve been paying for the music streaming service through the App Store are being switched to a free, ad-supported plan whether they want to or not.
Those who wish can switch back to a for-pay plan, but can not pay for it through Apple’s app payment system.
The epic saga Foundation will return to Apple TV+ for season 2 in July 2023. Graphic: Apple TV+
The Galactic Empire and the Foundation prepare for massive conflict in a new trailer for Apple TV+ show Foundation, with the sci-fi series’ gorgeous special effects and cinematography very much on display.
Foundation season two premieres July 14. So now’s the time to watch the epic trailer Apple released Thursday — or get caught up on season one.
You can charge devices fast on the go with Spigen's new ArcPack. Photo: Spigen
Mobile accessory brand Spigen unveiled its new Spigen ArcPack Portable Charger on Monday. It features a 10,000mAH battery pack and 30 watts of quick-charging power for your devices on the go.
This charger, which retails for $89.99, can juice up an iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all at once. And it’s perfect for travel, thanks to its light weight and compact size. It tips the scales at just 6.9 ounces, so you can take it anywhere and just pop it in your pocket for extra convenience.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max could cost more than its predecessor. Photo: Cult of Mac
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will cost more than last year’s equivalent version, according to an analyst. If true, this will be the first time the largest and most powerful of Apple’s flagship handsets has seen a price change since 2019.
The analyst also predicts the entire iPhone 15 series will go into production in August. The four new models are expected to launch in September.
Meta just launched Threads, a new text-based social networking service that goes head-to-head with Twitter. Meta’s Facebook and Instagram have always competed with Twitter, of course, but Threads does so directly. The two apps are nearly identical.
Twitter has struggled since being acquired by Elon Musk in 2022, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg clearly sees an opportunity to supplant it.
Deep Field transforms kids’ drawings to 3D with AR and iPad. Photo: Apple
With all the buzz about its upcoming Vision Pro augmented-reality headset, Apple sent out a reminder that iPad Pro also has AR capabilities. The tablet powers Deep Field, an application that lets children use an Apple Pencil to draw plants inspired by works of art, and have their creations rendered into 3D via the magic of augmented reality.
A federal judge blocked federal government contact with social media sites. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
A federal judge in Louisiana issued a broad injunction Tuesday limiting federal government contact with social media sites over what the Biden administration may see as disinformation spreading out of control.
The ruling is one of many upcoming that frame a fight over the constitutionality of curbing social media’s influence in light of the First Amendment’s right to freedom of expression.
Amazingly, Apple Watch may become even more vital to tracking your health in the near future. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
A smartwatch like your trusty Apple Watch might be able to screen you for Parkinson’s disease up to 7 years before symptoms would show up if you have it, according to a fascinating new study.
Parkinson’s damages the brain slowly, so early detection via smartwatch could offer treatment advantages as new therapies develop.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro star in Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon," debuting in October. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+ dropped the official trailer Wednesday for its upcoming historical drama Killers of the Flower Moon. The sprawling period piece is filled with the rage and bloodshed of one of America’s most-enduring murder mysteries.
Based on a nonfiction account of a deadly conspiracy by white men to capture oil wealth held by the Osage Indian nation members in early-1900s Oklahoma, the Marin Scorsese film counts Leonardo Di Caprio and Robert De Niro among its sprawling cast.
You can't go wrong with the AirPods Pro 2. Photo: Apple
Amazon is knocking a sweet 20% off second-gen AirPods Pro ahead of next week’s Prime Day sale. Take advantage of the deal, and you can get Apple’s best AirPods Pro for $199.99, down from $249.
While not the lowest price ever seen, this is still a terrific deal you should not miss.
The comfy, secure silicone magnetic Apple Watch band fits most occasions with its sleek look. Photo: SwitchEasy
SwitchEasy makes an array of cool bands for Apple Watch in different styles and with various materials, from stretchy nylon to stainless steel mesh. In the SwitchEasy Flash Sale, the Cult of Mac Store has four excellent choices on sale for 20% off the regular prices through July 3.
A dual monitor mount is used for the external display and the MacBook Pro. Photo: [email protected]
Monitor mounts and the like may not be terribly glamorous or exciting, but they can do an awful lot for a computer setup.
Today’s featured MacBook Pro workstation uses them to make the laptop and two other crucial pieces of hardware easy to move around. And they keep the hardware off the desk, creating space for other items.
It’s one and done for “High Desert” on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+
The dark comedy High Desert will not be returning to Apple TV+. The series starring Patricia Arquette earned generally positive comments from critics and viewers, but perhaps didn’t find a big audience.
Vision Pro's ultra-high-resolution display system, with 23 million pixels across two displays, reportedly runs into manufacturing challenges. Photo: Apple TV
Apple reportedly made hefty cuts to its production goals for the Vision Pro due to the headset’s complex design, which makes mass production a challenge.
Announced at WWDC23 in June, Apple’s mixed-reality headset will go on sale in early 2024. So the company has more than a few months to sort out these manufacturing challenges.
AirPods Pro 2 charging case with USB-C could debut this year. Source: Unsplash
Apple is exploring adding health-focused features to future versions of AirPods Pro, including sensors that measure body temperature. The company also is working on features that would make the earbuds a viable hearing aid replacement, including an advanced hearing test to evaluate the wearer’s capabilities.
Apple also reportedly plans to transition the AirPods Pro’s charging case from Lightning to USB-C this year. This could happen alongside the iPhone 15 series in September.
Rumors about a new Apple Watch Ultra leave us pleasantly surprised. And a 30-inch (minimum!) iMac sounds pretty sweet, too. Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: While it’s no big shock that Apple continues to work on new Macs and iPads, two new products reportedly in the pipeline actually do sound surprising — and surprisingly tempting. What are they? An iMac with a big, beautiful 30-inch-plus screen, and a next-gen Apple Watch Ultra.
Where do we place our preorders?
Also on The CultCast:
A purported iPhone 15 Pro Max case leak makes us extra worried about that huger-than-huge camera bump. How much is too much?
Apple bumps up iCloud+ pricing in some places, but refuses to offer bigger storage options. Erfon is not amused.
The EU keeps writing new regulations designed to rein in tech companies. Ill-advised or efficacious?
Our giveaway this week is for anyone who craves a clutter-free desk.
And finally … a new edition of “What We’re Into.” Griffin talks up an impressive new car, while Erfon and I fixate on the same Apple TV+ sci-fi show.
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.
A version of Apple Vision Pro with gold and leather trim will go on sale in 2024. Photo: Caviar
For anyone who looked at the $3,500 price on the Apple Vision Pro and thought “that is so cheap,” Caviar has a version that’s over ten times as expensive. This specially modified AR headset is plated in gold and has a leather head strap.
Caviar even modified the design to make wearing the device a bit more private.