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News - page 191

Trader smart-lights up office like a ‘strip club’ [Setups]

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Just wait. A dancer might gyrate through the frame any minute.
Just wait. A dancer might gyrate through the frame any minute.
Photo: [email protected]

Modern computer setups lean more and more on smart lighting for practical uses and to set the mood. Some of it can even pulse and change in sync to music or action on your screen.

Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup leans heavily on colorful Nanoleaf smart-light patterns on the walls — so much so that people compared it to a strip club.

Violent protests over COVID-19 controls and pay erupt at world’s largest iPhone plant

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Protesters and police clashed Tuesday and Wednesday at Foxconn's plant in Zhengzhou, China
Protesters and police clashed Tuesday and Wednesday at Foxconn's plant in Zhengzhou, China
Photo illustration: Cult of Mac

Protests over unpaid bonuses, anti-COVID-19 controls and even food quality led police to clash with hundreds of workers at the world’s largest iPhone factory in China, reports indicated Wednesday.

Social media videos and witnesses in Zhengzhou, where Foxconn operates a giant factory nicknamed “iPhone City,” said police beat and detained protesters.

Show your iPhone 14’s guts with bold new schematic wallpaper

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Show off your iPhone 14's innards in the form of a schematic wallpaper.
Show off your iPhone 14's innards in the form of a schematic wallpaper.
Photo: Basic Apple Guy

Mac maven Basic Apple Guy just rolled out a project he said he’s been slaving over since late September — a set of detailed and layered iPhone 14 schematics you can download and use as display wallpaper in your choice of colors on your handset.

It’s kind of like displaying an X-Ray of your iPhone on the device itself. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus schematics are out Tuesday with the ones for iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max following on Wednesday.

Driver calls SUV’s deadly plunge into Boston-area Apple Store accidental [Updated]

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This is Apple Derby Street prior to the incident.
This is Apple Derby Street prior to the incident, in which an SUV smashed through the facade and pinned several people at the back of the store.
Photo: Apple

A man driving a black SUV crashed through the glass facade of an Apple Store near Boston on Monday morning, killing one person and injuring 19, including four critically, according to reports.

Updates: The driver, identified as 53-year-old Bradley Rein, was arrested Monday night and charged with reckless homicide by motor vehicle, according to Boston.com. The number of injured in the crash rose to 19 from the initially reported 16. Rein pleaded not guilty on Tuesday and said his foot had become stuck to the accerlator, causing the crash. He was held on $100,000 bail.

Kevin Bradley, a 65-year-old from New Jersey who Apple said was “supporting recent construction at the store,” was killed in the crash.

Mondo drops ‘innie’ and ‘outie’ vinyl soundtracks for Severance

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Get your work done? Now you can have your dance-party reward.
Get your work done? Now you can have your dance-party reward, courtesy of Mondo.
Photo: Mondo

Collectibles seller Mondo will release a soundtrack Wednesday for Apple TV+’s Severance season 1 in two versions, both on vinyl: Innie Edition and Outie Edition.

On the show — sort of a dark-comedy psycho-thriller — a Lumon Industries employee who has undergone the Severance brain surgery is an “innie” at work and an “outie” away from work, and neither has any awareness of the other.

Does the season 1 soundtrack match that weirdness? Now’s your chance to give it a focused listen on your turntable.

Tesla sneaks Apple Music integration into museum exhibit

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Tesla's interface in the museum exhibit showed Apple Music integration.
Tesla's interface in the museum exhibit showed Apple Music integration.
Photo: [email protected]

It looks like a software update might soon bring Apple Music to Tesla vehicles’ built-in systems at long last. And this modern possibility comes to us from, of all places, a museum exhibit.

Folks spotted Apple Music integrated with Tesla prototype vehicles on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, and the tweets followed.

iPhone 14 Pro tops 5G speed tests in US, UK and Germany

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iPhone 14 Pro models topped or placed highly for 5G speeds in many countries.
iPhone 14 Pro models topped or placed highly for 5G speeds in many countries.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

A new analysis of smartphone speeds in 10 countries shows iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are the fastest 5G mobile devices in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany.

Ookla’s study, released Monday, listed the top five fastest “popular” 5G devices by market share in each country. iPhone 14 and 13 series models appeared in many of the lists, but failed to place in some Asian markets.

Noting the performance variations by network and country, Ookla said the analysis “provides a snapshot of what you might typically expect.”

Apple Watch Ultra gets a rare $60 discount for Black Friday

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Apple Watch Ultra review roundup: For extremophiles
This is the Black Friday Apple Watch Ultra deal you have been waiting for.
Photo: Apple

The Apple Watch Ultra has dropped to its lowest price for Black Friday. You can grab the watch with an Alpine Loop wristband for $739, down from its $799 MSRP.

The rugged titanium case and multi-day battery life make the Apple Watch Ultra ideal for fitness and outdoor enthusiasts.

Keep the iPad front and center or ditch it? [Setups]

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Would you keep the iPad Pro in the middle of the setup like that?
Would you keep the iPad Pro in the middle of the setup like that?
Photo: [email protected]

Some people like a lot screens in their computer setup, others like to be glued to one and one only. In today’s featured computer setup, the user wrestles with the question of whether to keep his iPad Pro front and center, right in front of the external display, or just leave it out. Meanwhile, a MacBook Pro sits off to the side in clamshell mode.

Because the user asked for opinions on social media, he got them. Lots of them. But it proved to be a tricky question to answer definitively.

Rounded corners and edges plus titanium case rumored for iPhone 15

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iPhone 15's corners and edges might be rounded, not squared off.
iPhone 15's corners and edges might be rounded, not squared off.
Photo: [email protected]

A leaker with a pretty good track record for accuracy said Sunday the upcoming iPhone 15 series will feature rounded corners and edges, plus a titanium case. Rounded corners would harken way back to earlier iPhones and a titanium case would be a first for Apple handsets.

The rumors came from ShrimpApplePro, who gets it right a fair amount of the time when predicting what Apple will do.

Vancouver’s reimagined Apple Pacific Centre doubles in size

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The reimagined Asia Pacific Centre is double the size of the original store.
The reimagined Asia Pacific Centre is double the size of the original store.
Photo: Apple

A reimagined Apple Pacific Centre doubles the store’s original size and adds some new features, like 32-foot floor-to-ceiling glass panels, a “living wall” with 144 native plant species and one of the tallest staircases among Apple Stores worldwide.

The store, in Vancouver, British Columbia, reopened Friday after its massive makeover. Take a peek inside!

SwiftKey for iPhone is back on the App Store

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SwiftKey works great on the giant iPhone 6 Plus.
Microsoft brings back SwiftKey for iPhone.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

In an unexpected development, SwiftKey is back on the App Store just a month after Microsoft removed the virtual keyboard app.

The move comes following customer feedback about the discontinuation of SwiftKey for iOS.

Emergency SOS! Apple’s building a metaverse! [The CultCast]

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The CultCast Apple podcast: When Apple finally rolls out its mixed-reality headset, will it be a winner?
When Apple finally rolls out its mixed-reality headset, will it be a winner or a head-spinner?
Graphic: Minh Pham/Unsplash License

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Maybe, just maybe, Apple can make a metaverse competitor that won’t leave us ready to heave. Stranger things have happened, but we’re not so sure the long-rumored Apple mixed-reality headset will be right for us.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature looks pretty cool and potentially lifesaving. Be sure to try the demo before you find yourself stranded on a mountaintop.
  • We’re endlessly searching for a Black Friday deal on AirTags. (Editor’s note: Oh, wait, here’s one now: Grab an AirTag 4-pack for less than $80 before this deal disappears.)
  • iPhone 4K video — it’s a scam!
  • Erfon’s missing AirPods Max story takes a strange twist.
  • You won’t believe how much somebody paid for an ancient pair of Steve Jobs’ stinky Birkenstocks.

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.

Enter to win a Function101 Button Remote for Apple TV and say, ‘So long, Siri’ [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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Giveaway: The Function101 Button Remote offers a user-friendly alternative to the Siri Remote.
The Function101 Button Remote offers a user-friendly alternative to the Siri Remote.
Photo: Function101

Three lucky winners in this week’s giveaway will be able to cast aside the Siri Remote forever. We’re giving away three Function101 Button Remotes for Apple TV.

But even if you don’t win, you can still free yourself from one of Apple’s most divisive devices. Retailing at just $29.95, the Button Remote is a deal for everyone who doesn’t like the Apple TV’s Siri Remote.

Deck out your MacBook in Mujjo’s new vegan leather sleeve

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The sleeve is for your MacBook Pro, but you can carry a lot more in it.
The sleeve is for your MacBook Pro, but you can carry a lot more in it.
Photo: Mujjo

Mujjo is known for leather iPhone cases and wallets. It also makes sleeves and cases, and now it offers a new pair of vegan leather sleeves — one for a 14-inch MacBook Pro and one for a 16-inch MacBook Pro.

The elegant Envoy Laptop Sleeves, which look like they’d be equally at home in a lecture hall or a board room, are waterproof and offer room for the other stuff you need to carry around, too.

Totallee slashes prices on iPhone cases and chargers for Black Friday

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The thin and lightweight iPhone case may be the next best thing to having no case.
The thin and lightweight iPhone case may be the next best thing to having no case.
Photo: Totallee

Totallee, known for its ultra-slim, lightweight and branding-free iPhone cases as well as charging accessories, is about to launch a big-time Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale.

Between November 21 and 28, products will go for half off their regular prices on Totallee’s website as well as Amazon and Walmart.

Ends today! Save a bundle on these iPhone screen and lens protectors.

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Save your handset's screen from damage with a high-quality screen protector.
Save your handset's screen from damage with a high-quality screen protector.
Photo: SwitchEasy

If you have an iPhone 11, 12 or 13, now’s your chance to get a little extra protection for its beautiful screen and advanced camera lenses. This week all SwitchEasy screen protectors and lens protectors are on sale in the Cult of Mac Store.

So go ahead and check out the 20% off deals on SwitchEasy iPhone screen and lens protectors in the SwitchEasy Flash Sale and give your favorite gadget the protection it deserves. Sales ends November 18.

Coder suffers crippling doubts over just-upgraded display [Setups]

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It's not always clear right away if you chose the best display for you.
It's not always clear right away if you chose the best display for you.
Photo: [email protected]

A new external display for your computer setup is usually a joy to behold. It is, after all, what you look at most. And you probably just replaced your old one with a bigger, brighter and more beautiful new one. But sometimes buyer’s remorse creeps in. Is it actually the best screen for your needs that you can afford?

Today’s featured setup comes from a software coder who has started to have doubts about a substantial recent monitor purchase. Will he succumb to them? He’s keeping his eye on the return deadline and asking for advice.

Protect iPhone 14 with Laut’s new cases, screen protectors and lens shields

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The Prestige Folio is an iPhone 14 case, wallet and stand.
The Prestige Folio is an iPhone 14 case, wallet and stand.
Photo: Laut

Accessories maker Laut just released a dozen new iPhone 14 cases, screen protectors and camera lens shields in the Cult of Mac Store. They cover a range of styles and applications. We highlight some below.

And Laut is just part of the picture. You can see the company’s new entries and other new iPhone 14 cases in the rapidly growing field of choices.

Mayo Clinic finds new way Apple Watch detects bum tickers

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AI and ECG readings from Apple Watch could be crucial to detecting heart problems.
AI and ECG readings from Apple Watch could be crucial to detecting heart problems.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

The famed Mayo Clinic showed us a new way artificial intelligence (AI) and Apple Watch can help save patients’ lives, according to a new study.

Instead of relying only on expensive tests conducted in clinical settings, doctors may be able to turn to AI and Apple Watch electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings to help determine which patients have previously undetected heart pump problems that could lead to heart failure.

Apple plans to splash out gift cards during Black Friday shopping event

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Apple is running a special shopping event for Black Friday.
Apple is running a special shopping event for Black Friday
Screenshot: Apple

Apple will bundle gift cards of up to $250 with the purchase of certain products during its special shopping event for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The deals on eligible Macs, iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and AirPods will stay live for four days, starting on Friday, November 25.

iPhone 15 Pro could feature significantly faster wired data-transfer speeds

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Robotics engineer Tom Pillonel modded his iPhone with USB-C and sold it for $86,000 on eBay.
2023 iPhone 15 Pro
Photo: Tom Pillonel

2023 iPhone 15 Pro models could feature faster data-transfer speeds over a wired connection. Rumors indicate Apple will transition to USB Type-C connectors across its entire iPhone lineup next year. But the faster data-transfer speeds could be limited to the Pro models.

Current iPhone models only support USB 2.0 transfer speeds over Lightning.

Røde’s refreshed NT-USB+ mic is easy for all kinds of audio

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The Røde NT-USB+ on a desk. The NT-USB+ is a great professional microphone for your Mac out of the box.
The NT-USB+ is a great professional microphone for your Mac out of the box.
Photo: Røde

Røde’s new NT-USB+ microphone brings exciting new features to the company’s well-reviewed NT-USB from 2014.

Like its predecessor, the NT-USB+ is an all-in-one microphone for streaming, capturing vocals, playing instruments and recording podcasts. The refreshed version adds higher bit depth, a built-in low noise/high gain preamp and a high-powered headphone jack to the classic model. Plus, it connects over USB-C at both ends.