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News - page 220

Apple commits to revealing what’s in AirPods firmware updates

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Product photo of original AirPods outside their case to illustrate a
AIrPods firmware updates are about to get a lot less mysterious.
Photo: Dagny Reese/Unsplash License

AirPods users will soon be able to discover what’s new in each firmware update. The current iOS 16 beta includes a link to a description of the current firmware on Apple’s website.

That’s a notable change from iOS 15 and before, where firmware updates for these wireless earbuds are an almost complete mystery.

Apple TV+ picks up dark comedy Physical for third season

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Rose Byrne plays fitness entrepreneur Sheila Rubin in
Rose Byrne gets to keep playing fitness entrepreneur Sheila Rubin in "Physical" on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Physical starring Rose Byrne will return to Apple TV+ for a third season. The dark comedy about a female fitness guru is set in the 1980s.

There were some questions about the show’s future after a shaky first season, but season two made continuing the series a no-brainer.

Why you should never use the browser in Facebook and Instagram

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Why you should never use the browser in Facebook and Instagram
You can always count on Meta apps to suck up as much users data as possible.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The web browser that Meta built into the iPhone Facebook and Instagram applications can collect far more information about users than they probably realize. It can “track every single interaction with external websites,” according to a developer.

But users don’t have to stay in this sketchy browser. Leaving it is easy – here’s how.

Grovemade adds small and medium sizes to its desk-shelf lineup

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Now available in small and medium sizes. This one is made from walnut-based plywood.
Now available in small and medium sizes. This one is made from walnut-based plywood.
Photo: Grovemade

Accessories-maker Grovemade recently added small and medium sizes to its lineup of desk shelves, which are wooden stands or risers for monitors and laptops that help you organize and store other items.

We see the Portland, Oregon-based company’s desk shelves from time to time in people’s workstations in Setups feature articles.

Today in Apple history: Happy birthday, Steve Wozniak!

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Steve Wozniak wax sculpture fake eyes
Apple's merry prankster celebrates another spin around the sun.
Photo: Madame Tussauds

August 11: Today in Apple history: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is born August 11, 1950: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is born. While Steve Jobs may be the most admired Apple figure, Woz might be the most well-loved by fans.

In addition to his most famous creation, the Apple II, Wozniak is also responsible for imbuing Apple’s products with his fun-loving personality.

Happy birthday, Woz!

And the winner of the best-macOS-wallpaper-ever tournament is …

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Is this your favorite macOS wallpaper?
Is this your favorite macOS wallpaper?
Photo: Apple

Apple aficionado Basic Apple Guy ran a “bracket” polling competition — think March Madness basketball, but without any perspiration — to determine the greatest macOS wallpaper ever. And users have spoken, according to a tweet pointing to final results Wednesday.

In a field of 18 competitors, macOS Catalina wallpaper emerged the champion (pictured above).

Disney+ price jumps sharply

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Disney+ logo
You'll be paying more to stream Disney, Marvel and Star Wars series.
Photo: The Walt Disney Company

Disney will soon hike the monthly subscription price of its streaming service almost 40%. When Disney+ first launched, it was one of the cheapest streaming streaming services. Not for much longer.

The company also increased the cost of Hulu and ESPN+.

Watch: Pirates infielder slides into third, iPhone slides out of his pocket

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Watch: Pirates infielder slides into third, iPhone slides out of his pocket
Shown here: one of many reasons baseball players aren't allowed to carry iPhones on the field.
Screenshot: Bally Sports Arizona

Rodolfo Castro of the Pittsburg Pirates made an epic slide into third base Wednesday. His iPhone also tagged third – we know because the handset flew out of his pocket and hit the base.

The umpire had to point out to the baseball player that that the iPhone was lying on the field.

New Anker power bank pushes 140W to charge 3 devices

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Anker's new power bank charges three devices -- or itself -- with 140W of power.
Anker's new power bank charges three devices -- or itself -- with 140W of power.
Photo: Anker

Anker has been on a roll lately with new chargers, and it kept going Wednesday with the release of its PowerCore 24K, aka the Anker 737 Power Bank.

The gadget packs a 24,000mAh battery, three ports for charging devices (up to and including your MacBook) plus a handy digital display that shows you what the device is doing.

The Morning Show season 3 will be ‘everyone and Jon Hamm’

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Jon Hamm complains in a new ad that Apple TV+ has everyone but him.
Jon Hamm can stop wondering why he's not on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple

Jon Hamm’s humorous request to be included in Apple TV+ has been answered. The actor has been added to the third season of the drama The Morning Show, which is expected to premiere on Apple’s streaming service before the end of 2022.

Ask and ye shall receive, apparently.

Samsung’s flawed, foldable Androids show why folding iPhone remains years away

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Samsung's flawed, foldable Androids show why folding iPhone remains years away
Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 would be amazing if they weren't so flawed.
Photo: Samsung

The just-announced Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 offer the clearest evidence yet that Apple is correct to hold off on releasing a folding iPhone. Flexible screens still come with too many problems to be acceptable in an iPhone.

Of course, that didn’t stop Samsung from releasing handsets with these drawbacks.

New Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones gun for AirPods Max

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Sennheiser's new Momentum 4 ANC wireless headphones changed up their look and claim 60 hours of battery life.
Sennheiser's new Momentum 4 ANC wireless headphones changed up their look and claim 60 hours of battery life.
Photo: Sennheiser

Venerable audio brand Sennheiser rolled out its new Momentum 4 wireless over-ear headphones Tuesday. The successor to the much-liked Momentum 3 aims for the same high-end sound and comfort along with a more modern look.

The cans, which will compete with the likes of Sony’s top headphones and AirPods Max, also claim an impressive battery life of up to 60 hours.

Last chance: Score 20% off SwitchEasy iPad accessories

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This magnetic stand helps turn your iPad into a desktop computer.
This magnetic stand helps turn your iPad into something more like a desktop computer.

People swear by their iPads. And when they get one, they have many choices of cool accessories that help expand what it can do and how they use it.

SwitchEasy is a major accessory-maker for iPads, and for a limited time, you can get 20% off the company’s goods in the Cult of Mac Store.

But if you want to score a deal, you need to do it today. Our sale on SwitchEasy iPad gear ends at 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 10, 2022.

When downsizing your display is not downgrading [Setups]

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The Studio Display replaced a 34-inch ultra-wide monitor.
The Studio Display replaced a 34-inch ultra-wide monitor.
Photo: [email protected]

We’ve seen a few computer setups lately where the owner switches from one or more large monitors to something smaller. But they don’t necessarily see losing the screen real estate as a “downgrade.”

That’s the case with today’s featured M1 Pro MacBook-centered setup. It went from a 34-inch ultra-wide 4K monitor to a new 27-inch Studio Display.

Essentially it boils down to “size isn’t everything.” When it comes to displays, there’s actually a lot more to the picture.

Protect your Apple Watch with Elago’s rugged Armor Case and band

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This rugged case and band will keep your Apple Watch safe.
This rugged case and band will keep your Apple Watch safe.
Photo: Elago

You probably spend a fair chunk of change on your Apple Watch and you should take care to protect it — especially if you’re the sort of person who does a number on watches.

If you really want to safeguard it, you could get a rugged case and band combo like the one Elago makes.

You can find the Elago Armor Case Apple Watch Band in the Cult of Mac Store for just $15.

Why Google really, really wants Apple to add RCS to iMessage

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iMessage bullying
Google wants iPhone to adopt RCS and end the differences between blue bubbles and green bubbles.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Google’s campaign to talk Apple into supporting Rich Communication Services in iMessage continues. The Android-maker introduced a new website Tuesday that claims that because iPhone does not support RCS it lacks “modern texting standards” and causes unnecessary problems.

Apple has long resisted RCS, choosing instead to reserve the best benefits of its messaging software to iPhone users.

2 new iPhone game controllers offer radically different designs

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2 new iPhone game controllers offer radically different designs
The Gamevice Flex (left) and PowerA MOGA XP5-i Plus (right) are iPhone game controllers with very different designs.
Image: Gamevice/PowerA

The Gamevice Flex and PowerA MOGA XP5-i Plus are both game controllers for iPhone, but that’s almost the only thing they have in common. The Gamevice product wraps around the handset to put buttons and d-pads on either side of the screen, while PowerA’s mimics an Xbox controller but with a phone mount.

No matter the design, these let players escape using onscreen touch controls when accessing cloud-gaming services, Apple Arcade and other games.

AirPods Pro 2 may stick with Lightning charging case ahead of 2023 switch to USB-C

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Modders like Ken Pillonel put USB-C ports in AirPods cases, but Apple may not for the upcoming AirPods Pro 2 case.
Modders like Ken Pillonel put USB-C ports in AirPods cases, but Apple may not for the upcoming AirPods Pro 2 case.
Photo: Ken Pillonel

Apple products are shifting from Cupertino’s proprietary Lightning connectors to USB-C, but the switch may not be in the cards for the second generation of AirPods Pro, expected to ship before the end of the year.

Or so said a prominent analyst Tuesday, anyway.

M1 MacBook Air with 512GB storage drops to an irresistibly low price

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MacBook Air M1 2020
You really should not miss this deal on the M1 MacBook Air.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple’s M2 MacBook Air might be the newest kid on the block, but you can’t go wrong with the M1 Air as well. And with Best Buy taking a whopping $200 off on the 2020 MacBook Air, now is the perfect time to buy one.

This is the lowest price the M1 MacBook Air has dropped down to.

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Get $50 off iPad Pro Magic Keyboards and $30 off Apple Pencil 2

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Turn your iPad Pro into a laptop (for $50 less than the usual price).
Turn your iPad Pro into a laptop (for $50 less than the usual price).
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

With a new week come new discounts on Apple products — especially at this time of year, with new product releases from Cupertino around the corner.

Today Amazon is chopping $50 off of iPad Pro Magic Keyboards and $30 off Apple Pencil 2 (which is a return to an all-time low price).

6-screen M1 Mac mini mission control looks like art [Setups]

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The M1 Mac mini isn't pictured, but you can't miss the dual 34-inch displays, two iPads and an Echo Show 5.
The M1 Mac mini isn't pictured, but you can't miss the dual 34-inch displays, two iPads and an Echo Show 5.
Photo: [email protected]

Some computer setups are so strikingly beautiful they look like art installations. That tends to happen more with multiple-display setups because the imagery on the screens really adds to the aesthetic impact.

Today’s featured M1 Mac mini setup makes a visual statement using six displays, including two ultra-wide monitors and two iPads, plus some clever backlighting.