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Apple TV+ plans 4 new kids series this fall plus more Peanuts classics

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New animated series
New animated series Sago Mini Friends debuts September 16 on Apple TV+.
Image: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ listed its fall slate of kids and family fare Monday. It includes new animated series Sago Mini Friends, Slumberkins and Interrupting Chicken, plus live-action series Circuit Breakers.

And in addition to those, kids and their families can enjoy returning favorites plus a new lineup of classic Peanuts specials.

iPhone 13 might offer emergency satellite communication, too

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iPhone 13 might offer emergency satellite communication, too
It won't be just the iPhone 14 communicating with satellites.
Photo: Cult of Mac

It might not be necessary to trade in an iPhone 13 for the iPhone 14 to get the upcoming model’s satellite communication capabilities. Apple’s 2021 handset reportedly already has this feature – it’s just not activated.

It’s possible Apple will announce at a September 7 event that both the iPhone 13 and 14 will be able to send emergency texts via satellite.

Mountain biker paralyzed in crash said Apple Watch saved his life

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Paralyzed in the crash, Ryan McConnaughey said he'd be dead if not for the Apple Watch.
Paralyzed in the crash, Ryan McConnaughey said he'd be dead if not for the Apple Watch.
Photo: KGTV News San Diego

Mountain biker Ryan McConnaughey took his usual daily ride near San Diego only to find himself going over the handlebars in a steep section. He slammed into the ground, head-first, helmet on.

Sprawled on his back, he soon found he couldn’t move from the neck down. “I knew for sure that I needed to get medical attention as quickly as possible. My brain kind of kicked into survival mode,” he said.

With his iPhone in his backpack, he began talking to his Apple Watch.

Netflix advert-supported plan could cost just $7

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Commercials are coming to Netflix
You'll soon be able to get Netflix at a lower cost by watching commercials.
Photo: Netflix/Cult of Mac

The price of Netflix is going way down … if you’re willing to watch commercials. When the streaming service revealed that it’s prepping an advertising-supported option for subscribers, it didn’t reveal how much it will cost. The price has now leaked out, and it might be 30% to 55% below the current cost.

The new option could debut before the end of 2022.

This sick rig sports 9 Macs and 3 Apple displays [Setups]

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Can you picture needing 9 Macs, including 3 top-shelf machines?
Can you picture needing 9 Macs, including 3 top-shelf machines?
Photo: [email protected]

Occasionally a computer setup displayed on social media makes you swoon. Usually it’s a combination of amazing gear, artful arrangement and exceptional photography, like something staged by a pro. But sometimes it’s just a sick amount of awesome Apple computers and displays.

Today’s featured setup, run by a consultant who “works for several companies,” relies on four high-spec Macs, five very-nice-but-not-exceptional Macs and three Apple Displays, including a Pro Display XDR — which goes for $5,000 or more by itself.

Does your wallet hurt yet? We just took ours to the ER.

Violent extortion threat pauses Apple TV+ series with Natalie Portman in Baltimore

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The shooting threat halted filming in downtown Baltimore.
The shooting threat halted filming in downtown Baltimore.
Photo: Pexels/Abdullah Almutairi

Shooting on the set of Apple TV+ series Lady in the Lake paused Friday afternoon in downtown Baltimore to consider another type of shooting. According to reports, locals threatened that if production didn’t stop, they’d return with guns blazing. Unless producers paid them $50,000.

Taping on the limited crime drama series starring Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram shut down. But producers refused to pay. They opted to move locations instead.

Trademarks might reveal name of Apple VR/AR headset

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Apple mixed reality headset
The first Apple VR/AR headset might be dubbed "Reality One."
Photo: Vu Hoang/Flickr CC

Companies working with Apple have reportedly filed for trademarks in multiple countries that might relate to Apple’s upcoming virtual reality and augmented reality headset. They are variations on “Reality,” and it’s possible the filings reveal the name for the device.

The Apple VR/AR headset could be unveiled as easily as the Mac-maker’s September 7 product lunch event.

Apple Watch could talk to satellites in the future

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Apple Watch and MacBook
After iPhone, Apple reportedly wants the Apple Watch to connect to satellites.
Photo: Naipo.de/Unsplash

Rumors of Apple working on adding satellite connectivity to the iPhone have been circulating since last year. The company has reportedly also discussed bringing such a feature to a future version of the Apple Watch.

Apple wants to use satellite connectivity to allow iPhone users to send SOS messages when they are in a no-network zone.

Expect Apple Watch Pro to sport 47mm display

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Apple Watch Pro with flash screen
A new top-of-the-line Apple Watch Pro allegedly coming in 2022 will have a flat screen and a titanium body.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A critical detail has leaked about about Apple’s upcoming wearable designed for serious athletes. The new top-tier Apple Watch will have a 47mm screen, according to a new report coming out of Asia.

This will make it the largest version yet of Apple’s wrist computer.

Just how ‘far out’ will Apple’s Sept. 7 event be? [The CultCast]

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The CultCast podast: Are we going to get a big bang out of Apple's September 7 event?
Are we going to get a big bang out of Apple's September 7 event?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: What does Apple’s star-studded September 7 event invite mean? Some of the speculation is pretty “far out,” but Erfon thinks he has the answer.

Also on The CultCast:

  • The M2 MacBook Air humiliates a pricier Dell laptop.
  • Shazam still works like magic (and somehow Apple didn’t screw it up).
  • Zombie cinema-subscription service MoviePass is coming back from the dead!
  • Don’t miss Best Buy’s killer freebie: three months of Apple TV+, for new and returning subscribers.

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.

Our sponsor: CultCloth

Get the only cleaning cloth you need: CultCloth!

DOJ takes a step closer to Apple antitrust suit

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App Store faces barrage of antitrust charges
The U.S. Justice Department might hit Apple with an antitrust lawsuit before the end of 2022.
Photo: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels CC

The U.S. Department of Justice reportedly moved closer to filing an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. The DOJ has investigated the iPhone-maker over the past several years and begun to actually write a potential suit.

The government agency has looked into many aspects of Apple’s business and there’s no clear word on whether the complaint will be about the App Store or something else.

iPhone 14 might offer free texting via satellite

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Globalstar satellites
iPhone 13 will reportedly be able to use satellites to exchange texts.
Photo: Globalstar

iPhone 14 users may never be out of contact as long as they’re outdoors. Apple’s upcoming handset will be able to exchange texts via satellites in low-Earth orbit, according to an expert in satellite communications. And the service will be free.

Apple might even have hinted about this feature in the invite to its September 7 event during which the iPhone 14 is expected to be announced.

Universal Control brings M2 MacBook Air and M1 iPad Air together [Setups]

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No external display? No problem!
No external display? No problem!
Photo: [email protected]

Who says you need an external display in your computer setup? Some people get by just fine without some big, expensive monitor and whatever hub and cables it might require. Instead, they rely on their devices’ built-in screens.

And doing that, the owner of today’s featured setup takes advantage of Universal Control. That helps him work seamlessly across an M2 MacBook Air and an M1 iPad Air mounted on stands.

T-Mobile and SpaceX want to connect your iPhone to satellites to end network dead zones

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T-Mobile and SpaceX Coverage Above and Beyond
T-Mobile and SpaceX want to connect your existing phone to satellites.
Photo: T-Mobile

You won’t need an iPhone 14 or iPhone 15 for satellite connectivity. SpaceX and T-Mobile have announced their plan to bring cell connectivity everywhere in the US using satellites.

The service won’t require your phone to have satellite connectivity or any special chip. The Un-carrier says it will work with the “vast majority” of phones already on its network.

Mac mini should shrink down into a keyboard

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Next Mac mini should be just a keyboard
A future Mac mini should look like this.
Photo: Apple

There’s no reason the Mac mini has to take up unnecessary desk space. Apple can and should build the entire computer into the keyboard. The result would minimize clutter, making it an ideal computer for anyone living in tight quarters. And it would be quite portable.

It’s completely possible with tech Apple has now. Here’s how.

Apple and minority business leaders push toward green economy

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Meet Apple's second Impact Accelerator class of minority-owned businesses looking for growth in a greener economy.
Meet Apple's second Impact Accelerator class of minority-owned businesses looking for growth in a greener economy.
Photo: Apple

Apple introduced its second Impact Accelerator class Thursday. It’s made up of leaders from 16 minority-owned businesses that work in environmental services. They’ll be trained and mentored to help grow the businesses, which may end up partnering with Apple.

And at the same time, they’ll advance “a shared goal of creating a greener world,” Apple said.

Set yourself apart from the riffraff with this $15,000 Apple Watch case

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And it comes with an Apple Watch, you say? What a bargain.
And it comes with an Apple Watch, you say? What a bargain.
Photo: Golden Concept

Tired of slumming it with just a regular ol’ expensive Apple Watch? Well, you could dress it up a bit if you fork over $15,000 for an Apple Watch case smothered in more than 400 diamonds.

I mean, you deserve a special treat now and again, don’t you? A company called Golden Concept thinks so.

iPhone 13 dominates US smartphone shipments

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6.1-inch iPhone 13 review
Guess what's the best selling smartphone in America?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPhones made up more than half of all smartphones shipped in North America during the second quarter of 2022, according to a market research firm. This marks the third quarter in a row that more than 50% of the handsets shipped in the region came from Apple.

Samsung, the next nearest rival, had less than half as many shipments in Canada, Unites States and Mexico.

Affordable new smart Wi-Fi light strip from TP-Link supports HomeKit

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You can get a huge array of colors or bright white light out of these strips.
You can get a huge array of colors or bright white light out of these strips.
Photo: TP-Link

TP-Link just flipped the switch on a new lineup of smart LED light strips and light bulbs, some of which you can use with HomeKit or other home-automation systems.

The main selling point here is budget-friendliness. Prices range from $25 to $50, so you won’t break the bank lighting up your space.

Apple’s ‘far out’ event invite hints at iPhone 14 features

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Apple's 'far out' invite hints at iPhone 14 features
What does this say to you?
Image: Apple

People love to examine Apple’s event invites looking for hints of what will be unveiled. The starry invitation to the September 7 Far Out event that went out Wednesday might drop a clue to one or more long-rumored features finally coming to the iPhone 14.

And, of course, we’ve seen some deliberately silly suggestions for what the image and theme are hinting at.

Or the Apple logo made out of stars could be simply a cool-looking image. (There are new wallpapers for those who think so.)

Get $15 off SwitchBot and turn your dumb lock into a smart one

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The SwitchBot Lock fits over your existing
The SwitchBot Lock fits over your existing "dumb" lock.
Photo: SwitchBot

Users who aren’t ready to to take the plunge into full home-automation system like HomeKit and related accessories have another option to make a dumb lock smarter.

SwitchBot recently launched a new version of SwitchBot Lock. The company said it’s the best way to make a door lock smart without refitting, so users can lock or unlock their door via devices like iPhone or Apple Watch.

Better yet, right now you can get 15% off on Amazon, or about $15 off the $100 price.

How to see the AR Easter egg hidden in Apple’s September event invite

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How to see the AR Easter egg hidden in Apple’s spring event invite
Have some augmented-reality fun with the invitation to the Apple fall event.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Concealed in Wednesday’s invite to the Apple early fall event is an augmented reality Easter egg. It’s not just cool – it might be a hint of what to expect.

The graphic for the September 7 “Far Out” event shows the Apple logo made of stars. The AR version is a 3D orb filled with stars floating in space.