Hijack, the Apple TV+ thriller starring Idris Elba, wrapped up last week, and the finale pushed the series to the very top of the charts. It became the most popular show on any streaming service, according to a market analysis.
With the entire season of Hijack available, now is the time to binge-watch it.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Looks like we have an iPhone 15 launch date. An early hint pinpointed September 13, but now it looks like the big reveal might come a day earlier. Mark your calendars (but maybe use a pencil rather than a Sharpie).
Also on The CultCast:
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.
Today’s featured computer setup comes from Mac maven and designer Basic Apple Guy. We know him from the free wallpapers he offers for download. Who knew he was such a cable-management Jedi?
We came across his powerful setup with nary an unsightly cable while writing about his new “Flow” wallpaper — which was actually inspired by his fight with cable clutter.
Jorge Mas, the managing owner of Inter Miami CF, says that the addition of Lionel Messi to his soccer team has “more than doubled” subscriptions to Apple’s MLS Season Pass, which allows viewers to watch Major League Soccer games.
Messi joined the Florida team in July. The huge boost in paid viewership is quick work, even for the man who’s been called the greatest soccer player ever.
macOS Ventura 13.5 users report a problem with Location Services. The bug apparently prevents users from giving or denying applications permission to gather and use information based on the current location of the Mac.
Reports of the bug date back weeks but Apple has yet to issue a fix.
Baseus Technology unveiled its Red Dot Design-awarded Baseus Metal Gleam 7-in-1 Docking Station Thursday. It supports ultra-high-def 4K@60Hz resolution for content output.
The company touted an absurdly low-sounding price of $19.99. “It has no match in its tier with a competitive price of $19.99 since the passkey to access such a high-resolution hub is way higher,” the company said.
iPhone’s Emergency SOS via Satellite got credit for saving lives Wednesday when it was the only way a family trapped in a van amid raging wildfires on the island of Maui, Hawaii, could call for help.
The service has brought aid to plenty of people in need so far in its short life, since launch in 2022. This emergency seemed even more fraught than many, as you can see from the frantic texts shown in a post on X below.
Mac maven and designer Basic Apple Guy pumps out intriguing desktop wallpaper you can put on your Apple devices like Mac, iPad and iPhone.
But the latest one, “Flow,” which he put out Wednesday, came from a truly surprising place — his obsession with cable management in his home office and computer setup.
Disney CEO Bob Iger said Wednesday that the entertainment behemoth is exploring ways to prevent subscribers of its video streaming service from sharing passwords. Rival Netflix saw a surge in subscribers after it did its own crackdown.
The ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu are also getting a price increase this autumn.
Camera products maker Miops unveiled a Kickstarter campaign Tuesday for Spark, a new camera companion designed to help iPhone users capture photos and video like professionals.
The handheld attachment provides DSLR-camera-like buttons that help you control your iPhone’s cameras.
Apple’s upcoming A17 Bionic, the 3nm chip that reportedly will power iPhone 15 Pro, could feature a six-core CPU and six GPU cores. For comparison, the iPhone 15 Pro’s A16 Bionic uses a five-core GPU.
Based on TSMC’s advanced 3nm node, which increases transistor density to boost processing power while simultaneously reducing power consumption, the A17 Bionic reportedly will ship with 6GB LPDDR5 RAM. (That’s the same as the iPhone 14 Pro series.)
The U.S. Supreme Court denied a request by Epic Games that would have required Apple to immediately get rid of its “anti-steering” rule for third-party applications — a major change. Instead, the Mac-maker can wait until there’s a final decision by the high court.
This means Apple doesn’t have to change its policy that prevents developers from sending customers from their applications to their websites to pay for subscriptions or services … yet.
Apple’s chip-maker TSMC does not absorb the cost of defective processors created in the production process, according to a trusted analyst. That contradicts a recent report that TSMC “eats the cost of the defects.”
Which isn’t to say that Apple and the Taiwanese company don’t have a very close working relationship.
Gaming brand Razer birthed a new litter of Kraken Kitty headsets Tuesday in recognition of International Cat Day, “so gamers, streamers, and cosplayers alike can celebrate in style.”
It said its original Kraken Kitty headset is one its most popular models.
“When we first released the Kraken Kitty, it really scratched an itch in the market, as there was nothing like it before.” said Alvin Cheung, senior vice president, Hardware Business Unit.
As legacy studios like Disney face formidable problems, a new report suggests CEO Bob Iger might revisit a “once-unthinkable option” — that Apple might buy the company, or at least a stripped-down version of it.
After all, in a near-future of even greater tech-company dominance over entertainment, Disney may need deep-pocketed protection. And its longstanding connection with Apple could come into play.
With summer on the wane and the new school year looming, peripherals giant Logitech — a mainstay in our computer setups coverage, especially for the MX Master 3S mouse and MX series keyboards — is running a site-wide sale through August 16.
Logitech’s back-to-school sale is “filled with cutting-edge technology and exclusive deals to help you embark on your academic journey with confidence and success,” the company said.
Obviously, you don’t need to be a student to get the deals. Anybody can do it. See below.
Still Up will follow the romantic hijinks of a pair of insomniacs. The comedy series will debut on Apple TV+ in September.
Apple gave its first look at the upcoming show on Wednesday.
Today’s featured Mac Studio setup found an interesting way to arrange its four displays — three little ones in a row and one huge one broadcasting the Bat-Signal on top.
With Batman undoubtedly on his way (OK, maybe it’s just the logo, not the actual signal), the workstation also boasts a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Apple’s Smart Folio and a remarkably affordable mechanical keyboard for use with the desktop machine.
Nomad added a new limited-edition Sport Band for Apple Watch Tuesday, and this one glows in the dark. That’s why it’s called Glow.
By day the waterproof bands appears off-white, but in the dark in glows bright green. It will be tough to misplace it, even at night.
The name for the Ugreen MagSafe 10,000mAh Battery Pack with Foldable Kickstand is a mouthful, but it’s also a full description of what the new accessory has to offer. Magnetically clip the power bank to the back of an iPhone and it’ll wirelessly recharge the handset. And the kickstand means it also functions as a stand.
The accessory can even recharge two other devices at the same time.
Amazon deals site Woot! is at it again, offering great prices on Apple gear. This time the steals are big discounts on 2021 iPad Pro — 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes, with or without cellular coverage along with Wi-Fi.
They may not be new-new, but they’re not used and they could be new to you. The sale goes through August 14 at 10 p.m. PT.
Dear university students: While it’s tempting to buy the hot new MacBook Air, doing so would mean a huge loss of flexibility. You simply don’t need to pay hundreds of dollars more for a laptop that’s less versatile. An iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard and Pencil fits your needs much better, especially now that it has the very same M2 chip inside.
And beyond the versatility, the whole iPad lineup can do just about everything you can expect a Mac to do every day.
To be clear, there are exceptions to this — some students really do need a Mac. But odds are you’re not one of them.
The new Apple TV+ trailer for the upcoming drama series The Changeling starts off lightly enough — LaKeith Stanfield’s character, Apollo, can’t get a date with Clark Backo’s Emma in New York City because she’s moving to Brazil.
But once she’s there, dark magic soon reveals this Big Apple-based “drama” to be an absolute supernatural horror show. It premieres Friday, September 8.
Dear university students: While it’s tempting to buy the top-tier MacBook Pro, it would be a huge waste of money. You simply don’t need to pay an extra $1,000 or more for a notebook that powerful. A MacBook Air fits your needs much better, especially now that there’s a 15-inch version.
And beyond the higher price, the increased performance of the MacBook Pro comes with a drawback you’ll notice every day.
To be clear, there are exceptions for this — some students really do need a MacBook Pro. But odds are you’re not one of them.
Apple’s next-generation M3 Max could feature a staggering 16-core CPU and 40 GPU cores. A third-party Mac developer spotted the chip in test logs running inside a high-end MacBook Pro.
This new high-end Apple silicon should find its way inside the 2024 MacBook Pro. It should also power other high-end Macs due to launch in 2024.