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News - page 218

Go on a snarky adventure in HEROish on Apple Arcade

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Go on a snarky adventure in 'HEROish' on Apple Arcade
HEROish is an adventure/tower defense game that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Image: Sunblink/Apple Arcade

HEROish from Sunblink challenges layers to, “(almost) save the world and (kind of) look good while doing it.” The latest addition to Apple Arcade offers single-player adventures, but it’s also player-versus-player deck-building tower defense game.

The fantasy-themed title is available now for a variety of Apple computers, including iPhone and Mac.

New toggle in iOS 15.6 turns on government emergency alert tests

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When the government sends out test emergency alerts, you can be in the know.
When the government sends out test emergency alerts, you can be in the know.
Photo: FEMA

Worried that the U.S. government is trying to make sure emergency alerts it sends to smartphones are working — and you don’t even know about it?

Well, now you can make sure you receive those test alerts thanks to a new toggle Apple added to iOS 15.6 and the third iOS 16 beta.

Lawmakers call for quick votes on Big Tech antitrust bills

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Some lawmakers urge votes take place before recess.
Some lawmakers urge votes take place before the upcoming recess.
Photo: Jens June/Pixabay

A letter from progressive members of the U.S. House of Representatives this week urged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to call for votes soon on a pair of antitrust bills that would rein in the power of tech giants like Apple and Google in an attempt to open up competition from more companies.

Without votes “in the next few weeks,” lawmakers’ upcoming months-long recess could delay action considerably.

Download striking ‘Apple Stage’ wallpaper for Mac, iPad and iPhone

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Basic Apple Guy's new wallpaper is based on Jony Ive's work.
Basic Apple Guy's new wallpaper is based on Jony Ive's work.
Photo: Basic Apple Guy

Designer and Apple maven Basic Apple Guy offered a delightful surprise Friday with his new “Apple Stage” wallpaper for Mac, iPad and iPhone.

The stunning rainbow wallpaper sports a design inspired by the real-life, six-color stage structure created by Cupertino design legend Jony Ive at Apple Park.

Dutch IT guy rocks with iMac, electric guitar and audio interface [Setups]

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This computer setup's centerpiece is a 24-inch iMac.
This computer setup's centerpiece is a 24-inch iMac.
Photo: [email protected]

We like Friday Setups posts to be on the fun side. We look for entertaining gear, wacky decor and exotic locations. Today we found a Dutch guy who works in IT management via his M1 iMac.

That doesn’t sound especially fun, but he also wields a pretty badass electric guitar.

He runs the axe into a Focusrite audio interface and listens to his musical creations on a killer set of cans, too.

Apple and Chicago settle the ‘Netflix tax’ lawsuit

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Apple TV+
Chicago residents will continue to have to pay the "Netflix tax."
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple has dropped its lawsuit against Chicago’s “Netflix tax” after the two parties reached a settlement. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

Chicago introduced a 9% tax on streaming platform subscribers in 2015. Apple sued the city in 2018 for allegedly violating the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act and the U.S. Constitution.

Apple takes another step to avoid iPhone 14 shortage at launch

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iPhone 14 Pro models may get an always-on display, finally.
A new Chinese company has joined the iPhone 14's supply chain for the first time.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple seemingly diversified its supply chain by adding a new component supplier for the iPhone 14 lineup. Chinese company SG Micro has acquired the necessary certifications to supply components for the high-end iPhone 14 Pro series.

The move comes as Apple looks to avoid disruptions in its supply chain due to external factors.

Wait times get shorter for Studio Display shipments

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Apple can ship you a new Studio Display in 1 to 2 weeks now.
Apple can ship you a new Studio Display in 1 to 2 weeks now.
Photo: Apple

Back in May, Cult of Mac wrote about wait times for Studio Display shipments stretching into August. But now, four months after Cupertino rolled out the $1,600 monitor, shipping-time estimates are dropping fast in many countries, including the U.S.

New Apple Pay promotion offers up to 70% off at major retailers

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Apple Pay fun in the summertime: Get big discount from 13 retailers.
Apple Pay fun in the summertime: Get big discount from 13 retailers.
Photo: Apple

Cupertino sent out a new summer-themed Apple Pay promotion Thursday with special deals on clothing, shoes, accessories and more. You can get up to 70% off items from GOAT and significant discount from a dozen other retailers. That means you can get the crazy-looking Yeezy 450 ‘Sulfur’ sneakers for $157 (regularly $200).

The discounts come from popular stores like Crocs, Ray-Ban, J.Crew, Lands’ End, Gymboree, Matt & Nat, The RealReal and others. Hit the links below.

Last chance: Protect your iPhone 13 with SwitchEasy accessories — at 20% off!

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Protect those all-important camera lenses.
Protect those all-important camera lenses.
Photo: SwitchEasy

When you spend a pretty penny on an iPhone 13 — OK, more like a thousand bucks, probably — you realize you better protect the dearly expensive gadget. Good thing SwitchEasy features all the accessories you need. You have your choice of cases, plus screen protectors and more.

And best of all, you can get 20% off all SwitchEasy iPhone 13 accessories in the Cult of Mac Store. But you need to act fast: This sale ends at 11:59 p.m. PDT on July 21.

Today in Apple history: Apple unseats Nokia as top smartphone vendor

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Nokia
Remember when Nokia was on top of the world?
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

July 21: Today in Apple history: Apple unseats Nokia as top smartphone vendor July 21, 2011: Apple officially passes Nokia to become the world’s top smartphone vendor.

It’s a major milestone for Apple, which launched the iPhone just four years earlier. For Nokia, the Finnish company that dominated the cellphone market during the 1990s and early 2000s, it marks the end of an era.

New Eve motion sensor supports Thread and senses ambient light

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The updated Eve Motion now supports Thread networking and senses light to trigger automations.
The updated Eve Motion now supports Thread networking and senses light to trigger automations.
Photo: Eve Systems

Eve Systems offered its second-generation Eve Motion sensor Thursday, adding a light sensor and Thread mesh networking support. The device detects motion to activate other HomeKit-enabled devices.

And it’s actually less expensive than the previous model by $10.

The Thread standard that will be integral to the upcoming Matter home automation technology standard that helps different manufacturers’ devices work together.

AirTag battery indicator disappears from Find My app after iOS 15.6 update

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AirTag battery indicator disappears from Find My app after iOS 15.6 update
When you look for an AirTag in Find My, you no longer see a battery icon. unless it's very low.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Yesterday’s iOS 15.6 update and the newest iOS 16 beta show a surprising move on Apple’s part. It took away the Find My app’s AirTag battery indicator.

Previously, when you opened an AirTag card in Find My, you’d see a small battery icon showing remaining power below the tracking device’s name and location, Now you don’t, or at least not until remaining power is critically low.

Apple explains what happens when games leave Apple Arcade

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Don't miss out on 15 games leaving Apple Arcade soon.
Hurry up and finish that Apple Arcade game exiting the program.
Photo: Apple

A new support document from Apple explains what happens when games exit Apple Arcade — and how long you can play them after they disappear from the subscription service.

The support page went live after Apple added a “Leaving Arcade Soon” section to the App Store highlighting 15 games due to exit the program.

Chic stripes enhance a Saffiano leather Apple Watch band

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Made from vegan Saffiano leather, the band features chic stripes.
Made from vegan Saffiano leather, the band features chic stripes.
Photo: Casetify

Some people buy vertically striped shirts in order to look slimmer. But on an Apple Watch band, stripes generally just make it look different from every other strap out there.

Casetify calls its Saffiano leather Apple Watch bands with such decoration “Chic Stripes,” and it looks like a pretty accurate description. Buy one of these affordable bands and you might look a little more chic.

So check out the pair of elegant choices in the Cult of Mac Store’s Casetify Chic Stripes collection.

iOS 15.6 and macOS Monterey 12.5 arrive to fix bugs

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iOS 15.6 and macOS Monterey 12.5 are here to fix bugs
What might be the last update to macOS Monterey is out.
Photo: Pixabay/Pexels

Beta testing on iOS 15.6 and macOS Monterey 12.5 is over, and these updates are now available for anyone to install. They bring a number of small tweaks to iPhone and Mac.

Don’t confuse these with iOS 16 and macOS Ventura, which are major upgrades coming this fall.

Apple also released the full versions of iPadOS 15.6, watchOS 8.7 and tvOS 15.6 on Wednesday.

Modder shows how to 3D-print new AirPods case (and add USB-C)

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Ken Pillonel put a USB-C port in an AirPods charging case.
Ken Pillonel put a USB-C port in an AirPods charging case.
Photo: Ken Pillonel

The guy who brought us the world’s first USB-C iPhone (and sold it for $86,001 on eBay) is now training his soldering pen on the AirPods charging case.

Engineering and robotics student Ken Pillonel put out a new video addressing AirPods’ repairability problem — they’re made to be replaced, not repaired. He demonstrated how he 3D-printed a new case and swapped the Lightning port for USB-C.

Super-clean MacBook Air rig shrugs off all distractions [Setups]

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Solid cable management helps keep this MacBook Air setup clean.
Solid cable management helps keep this MacBook Air setup clean.
Photo: [email protected]

Some of the best computer setups look a little boring at a glance. But that’s just because they include only essential gear and they keep it well lit and free of cable (and other) clutter.

Today’s featured M1 MacBook Air setup is a good example. And that’s not to say it’s plain or overly simple. You can see that in  the well-thought-out gear list below, which features 19 items.

New stacked dual-screen display promises to jack up productivity

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It's two stacked, adjustable 24-inch screens.
It's two stacked, adjustable 24-inch screens.
Photo: Mobile Pixels

Mobile Pixels started a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign Wednesday for Geminos, its new stacked, dual-screen desktop monitor intended to enhance workstations.

This follows last month’s launch of the LG DualUp, a 28-inch screen with a 16:18 aspect ratio, somewhat like two stacked screens in one.

The products aren’t quite the same, but could this be the start of a trend toward tall, oddly shaped monitors?

Apple builds tech that acts as ‘intelligent guardian’ for user health

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Apple builds tech that acts as 'intelligent guardian' for user health
Apple shared a new report that shows the ways its products help people be healthier.
Image: Apple

Apple laid out its far-reaching goals for the health and wellness tech built into iPhone and Apple Watch in a report issued Wednesday. It details how Apple intends to develop technology to support personal health, medical research, and patient care.

“We believe passionately that technology can play a role in improving health outcomes,” said Apple’s chief operating officer, Jeff Williams, in a statement. 

New vertical MacBook docking station from Brydge includes 11 ports, Thunderbolt 4

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New vertical Macbook docking station from Brydge adds 11 ports and Thunderbolt 4
The Brydge ProDock combines the easy connection of a vertical dock with the expansion capabilities of a multiport hub.
Photo: Brydge

The Brydge ProDock is a newly announced vertical stand for recent MacBooks. It holds the notebook vertically, off the desk, and adds 11 ports. That includes three Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports.

As a bonus, the stand’s base includes an MagSafe wireless charging mat to power up an iPhone.

Power up with ESR’s new line of speedy MagSafe-compatible chargers

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ESR launched three new MagSafe-compatible chargers Tuesday.
ESR launched three new MagSafe-compatible chargers Tuesday.
Photo: ESR

Need quicker and more convenient charging for your Apple gadgets? Accessory maker ESR launched its CryoBoost line of MagSafe-compatible accessories Tuesday.

The new CryoBoost lineup includes a 3-in-1 charger, a 2-in-1 charger and car charger. They all increase charging speeds by circulating air over the charging coil and your iPhone, the company said.