Stage Manager isn't perfect but it doesn't deserve all the criticism being heaped on it. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The new Stage Manager multitasking system is Apple’s answer to requests for floating app windows on iPad. It’s drawn a lot of criticism, much of which is undeserved.
I use the new system all day every day. Here’s why there’s a lot to like in Stage Manager, although there are undoubtedly some problems, too.
Now you can make your Apple Watch Ultra even tougher. Photo: Elkson
If you’re into extreme activities, Apple Watch Ultra in the one-tough-hombre timepiece for you. But you can make it even more rugged — and protect your investment in the pricey wearable — with the new Elkson Quattro Max Bumper Case.
If you want to make sure your Apple Watch survives whatever you throw at it, pick up the case in the Cult of Mac Store.
The 2021 14-inch MacBook Pro has never been this cheap before. Photo: Apple
Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro chip and 1TB storage is down to $1,999 on Amazon. That’s a massive $499 off its $2,499 retail price.
The Cupertino giant is unlikely to unveil the M2 MacBook Pros until Q1 next year. So, this is the perfect time to grab the 14-inch MacBook Pro at its heavily discounted price ahead of Black Friday.
Nano Smart Blinds work with HomeKit. Photo: SmartWings
If you’re willing to get in on the ground floor of a crowdfunding campaign as an “early bird,” you can now score Thread-enabled smart mini blinds that work with HomeKit for $100 off the retail price.
SmartWings Nano Smart Blinds have surpassed their funding goal on Indiegogo, so they should ship to buyers in January, the company said.
The person who uses this setup used to hate Apple. Photo: [email protected]
Some folks insist people never change, others say they often do. And proof of the latter shows up in today’s featured Mac Studio computer setup featuring Apple’s magnificent 6K Pro Display XDR.
It belongs to a Linux-loving software programmer who used to be strongly anti-Apple, according to her husband.
Your iPhone 14 Pro order might not arrive until after Thanksgiving. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
Planning on getting the iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max this holiday season? Getting your hands on one might be more difficult than you anticipate.
The latest COVID-19 curbs in China’s Zhengzhou have hampered the production of the latest Pro iPhones. Due to this, Apple now expects customers to wait longer to get their new iPhones.
Siri could become easier to summon in the future. Photo: Apple
Apple is working on changing the “Hey Siri” hotword to just plain “Siri,” and the change could roll out as early as next year.
Introduced in 2015 with the iPhone 6s, the “Hey Siri” hotword remains unchanged to this day. You also can use the phrase to invoke Apple’s voice assistant on the Mac, iPad, HomePod and Apple Watch.
Five of best Jennifer Lawrence films are now on Apple TV+. Screenshot: Apple TV+
To celebrate the launch of Causeway on Apple TV+, the streaming service is now offering five other movies starring Jennifer Lawrence. That includes all four Hunger Games films.
It’s part of a recent move by Apple to temporarily add already-released movies to its catalogue.
If you're in the right city, and the weather is notable enough, and you're on the 16.2 beta, and all the stars are aligned, you just might see the News section of the Weather app. Image: Dmitry Makeev, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons and D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Apple’s Weather app for iPhone, iPad and Mac soon will incorporate local news sourced from the Apple News service.
In the latest beta of iOS 16.2, certain cities have an additional section for weather news, slotted between the 10-day forecast and the air quality meter. On iPadOS and macOS Ventura, this section occupies an even larger widget in the corner.
Let them see your iPhone 14's vibrant color through a clear case. Photo: Laut
There’s no better way to protect your iPhone 14 than with a tough case. And, short of going without any case at all, there’s no better way to show off your iPhone 14 than with a crystal-clear case, like the Laut Huex Crystal 14 Series iPhone Case.
And right now you can pick up the tough but absolutely clear case for just $20 in the Cult of Mac Store.
Attention, streamers: Elgato's new Facecam Pro offers 4K streaming at 60fps. Photo: Elgato
In a bid to capture the streaming content creator market, Elgato just launched what it called “the world’s first 4K60 webcam” — Facecam Pro. It shoot video in 4K resolution at a smooth 60 frames per second (fps), which previously required a DSLR or other advanced camera setup.
The pricey new camera joins the original Facecam in Elgato’s growing lineup.
Two Studio Displays are better than one, don't you think? Photo: [email protected]
People who show off their computer setups often go for a clean, spare look without much, if any, clutter — from cables or anything else. But few have as clean and spacious a look as today’s featured MacBook Pro setup with two Studio Displays. To learn more about this setup, check out the details here.
There are many ways of making a setup minimalistic without simply leaving out the crucial gear. In this case, it has a lot to do with a very cool desk with some interesting features.
About 190 products are certified for the Matter standard (or soon will be after testing). Photo: CSA
The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) showcased companies and products using the newly available Matter home-automation standard at a launch event in Amsterdam Thursday.
The group, which includes Apple, Google and many other companies, emphasized the standard’s building momentum and drew a rough road map of what’s to come.
Apple TV is currently unable to access the cheap new Netflix ad-supported plan. Photo: Netflix/Cult of Mac
The inexpensive new Netflix “Basic with ads” plan launched Thursday, but users of Apple TV quickly discovered they couldn’t access it. Netflix promised a fix, though.
Users of other devices can now watch the streaming service for only for $6.99 a month, as long as they also watch commercials.
At $399, the iPad mini 6 provides a lot more value for money. Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
Apple’s 2021 iPad mini is down to $399.99 on Amazon, a sweet $100 discount off its usual retail price. You can get the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular variant with a similar $100 off.
Featuring an A15 Bionic chip and an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, Apple’s smallest iPad can be your perfect travel companion.
The July launch of the M2 MacBook Air helped propel Apple's to new heights in notebook shipments. Photo: Apple
Apple shipped a record number of MacBooks during the September quarter, a whopping 26% increase over the same period of 2021, according to a market-analysis firm. That’s more than the company has ever shipped in a single quarter.
At the same time, Windows notebook-makers saw their shipments decline.
Foxconn is Apple's biggest contract manufacturer. Photo: Puddingworld, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Days after reports of Foxconn employees hopping fences and fleeing from their jobs, a report late Wednesday from Taiwan News says Apple’s biggest iPhone factory is now on “total lockdown.” These new restrictions may have a big impact on Apple’s sales during the crucial holiday period.
Foxconn, whom Apple contracts to manufacture the lion’s share of iPhones, Macs and other Apple products, has had employees stay in on-site dormitories in a “closed-loop system” to prevent COVID outbreaks. Employees have been complaining about the “increasingly unsafe and inhumane working conditions” of the dorms.
"Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me" comes with a free trial of Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me premiers Friday on Apple TV+, and to be sure her fans can watch it, Apple is offering a free two-month trial of its streaming video service.
iPhone users in India don't have to wait much longer for 5G. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
5G service launched in India in October, but no iPhone supports the high-speed wireless networking standard… yet. Apple plans to change that in December.
And those who are part of the iOS beta program can get access even earlier.
Put the iPad 10 in a very protective case before handing it to child, like this one from OtterBox. Photo: OtterBox
The just-released iPad 10 is a major update, but the design changes mean new cases are required. Fortunately, accessory makers OtterBox and Logitech quickly brought out several of them for designed with children in mind.
T-Mobile turns November 3 into April Fools Day with a hot-purple suitcase-charger. Photo: T-Mobile
We had to check the calendar to see if it was April 1 when T-Mobile’s press release showed up. “Introducing the Un-carrier On from T-Mobile – the Smartest, Flyest Carry-On Ever,” it said, pushing a new carry-on bag the cellular carrier said is the only one on the market with wireless charging.
The suitcase, produced in partnership with Samsara Luggage, is awkwardly named the “Un-carrier On” and comes in one color: magenta. A big part of T-Mobile’s brand, that color is also the name of one of its membership plans.
Qualcomm is a vital supplier for Apple until the latter's in-house 5G modem is ready. Photo: Qualcomm
Apple’s plans of using its in-house modem starting from the iPhone 15 in 2023 are unlikely to pan out. Qualcomm will continue to supply the Cupertino company with the “vast majority” of iPhone modems next year.
The San Diego chipmaker expects Apple to shift to its in-house modem by 2024 at the earliest. It had previously expected to supply the iPhone maker with only 20% of modem chips in 2023.
The folks at Halide have published their thorough review of the iPhone 14 Pro camera system. Photo: Apple, D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
It’s taken a while to fully unpack and understand the technical improvements to the cameras in the iPhone 14 Pro. Camera nerd Sebastiaan de With, co-founder and designer of the highly-respected Halide camera app, has written a detailed review of the improvements to the camera system.
His professional opinion? These are not just great iPhone cameras, they’re great cameras, period.