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Apple TV+ subscribers think it’s a better value than Netflix

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Apple TV+ subscribers think it's a better value than Netflix
Viewers are more satisfied with Apple TV+ this year.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple TV+ subscribers seem much more satisfied with the streaming service than they were a year ago, according to a survey of viewers. The home of Ted Lasso and Severance even made gains on Netflix – streaming’s 800-pound gorilla – in a couple of categories, including value.

And more people than ever would make Apple TV+ their one and only streaming service.

Track wildlife with this nifty new trail camera

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The Keen Ranger PT blends in with the environment.
The Keen Ranger PT blends in with the environment.
Photo: Keen

Security gear provider Reolink launched a new brand, Keen, and a new product Tuesday — the Keen Ranger PT trail camera. With a 360-degree view, 4MP super HD image quality and other features like night vision, hunters, campers, farmers and wildlife enthusiasts are likely to recognize what game they “capture” with it out in the bush.

And for launch you can get 15% off the device’s regular price, plus a chance to win $1,000.

Give your new MacBook Pro some old-world charm with leather BookBook case

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Give your MacBook Pro some old-world charm with leather BookBook case
A MacBook Pro in a BookBook has a unique look.
Photo: Twelve South

Twelve South’s latest BookBook case makes the 2021 MacBook Pro look like a leather-bound book. The unique case manages to simultaneously make your macOS laptop stand out from the crowd and blend into the background.

There are versions for both the latest 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. BookBook is also available for iPad and iPhone.

Don’t expect iPad mini 7 to come with 120Hz ProMotion display

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iPad mini in hand, held up to the sky
ProMotion is unlikely to come to the iPad mini 7.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Display analyst Ross Young has debunked a rumor claiming the iPad mini 7 could debut with a 120Hz ProMotion display. He says it would be surprising if the next iPad mini comes with a higher refresh rate display.

Unlike the iPad Pro series, the iPad mini features a regular 60Hz panel. The higher refresh rate allows the Pro models to offer a smoother experience.

M1 MacBook Pro beats the newer M2 model in real-life stress tests

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M2 MacBook Pro's slow SSD has an impact in daily use.
Entry-level M2 MacBook Pro's slow SSD impacts its daily use performance.
Photo: Rajesh

The slower SSD on the entry-level M2 MacBook Pro has a noticeable impact on its performance in daily use. Tests show the M1 MacBook Pro beating its successor in stress tests that rely heavily on swap memory usage.

Benchmarks first revealed that the base M2 MacBook Pro SSD is about 50% slower than the M1 model.

After Loot debut, Apple calls dibs on new shows from Maya Rudolph’s company

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Maya Rudolph stars in
Maya Rudolph stars in "Loot" on Apple TV+, and her production company now has a first-look deal with Cupertino.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ struck a first-look deal with Maya Rudolph’s production company after last week’s premiere of her comedy series Loot.

That means Rudolph’s company, Animal Pictures, will show what it’s working on to Apple first, before shopping it around to other buyers.

Next Apple Music Live show features rapper Lil Durk

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The Chicago DJ Lil Durk performs live on Wednesday.
The Chicago DJ Lil Durk performs live on Wednesday.
Photo: Apple Music

After Harry Styles kicked off the return of the Apple Music Live series, Chicago rapper Lil Durk continues it. His live concert streams Wednesday.

The rapper’s show takes place in Los Angeles, but Apple’s streaming series lets you watch and listen to it anywhere.

Show your pride year-round with rainbow Apple Watch bands and more

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Rainbow nylon Apple Watch bands are great for Pride and for workouts.
Rainbow nylon Apple Watch bands are great for Pride and for workouts. Shown: BluShark AlphaPremier.
Photo: Adel Neal/Cult of Mac

LGBTQI Pride Month may be drawing to a close on Thursday, but you can wear your pride on your sleeve or elsewhere all year long if you want — thanks to rainbow-themed Apple accessories in the Cult of Mac Store’s Pride collection.

In addition to several colorful watch bands discussed below, you can find a rainbow lanyard with a shock-proof iPhone case and a rainbow polka-dot MacBook Pro case.

Surface trailer dips into secrets exposed in the sexy psychological thriller

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'Surface' trailer dips into secrets exposed in the sexy psychological thriller
Surface premieres globally July 29, 2022 on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

The first trailer for the psychological thriller Surface lets viewers dip their toes into the central mystery of the upcoming series: What if you woke up one day and didn’t know your own secrets?

The show premiers on Apple TV+ in late July, and stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, best known for appearing in Apple’s critically acclaimed The Morning Show.

Apple M2 Pro chip could get performance boost from 3nm process

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Apple might get cutting-edge 3nm processors in 2022
Apple will reportedly be one of the first companies in the world able to offer processors made with a 3nm process.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple’s upcoming M2 Pro chip will be made with an improved manufacturing process that will make it even faster and more energy-efficient, according to an unconfirmed report. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s 3nm process supposedly will be used on the M2 Pro, as well as the M3.

Quite a few Macs using these chips are already in the pipeline.

Apple Pay gets close to letting you chop up your credit cards

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Apple Pay gets close to letting you chop up your credit cards
You might be surprised how many businesses let you pay with your iPhone.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

After a mishap, I recently had to go on vacation without a credit card. I was ready with cash but it never mattered – to my surprise, wireless payments and Apple Pay let my iPhone make all the purchases I needed.

It’s clear we’re really not far away from physical credit cards becoming obsolete. That’ll be one less hassle in our lives.

Designer’s MacBook Pro-driven office swims in Apple collectibles [Setups]

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A MacBook Pro and a 4K LG display anchor Smelker's setup.
A MacBook Pro and a 4K LG display anchor Smelker's setup.
Photo: Terry Smelker

Graphic designer and illustrator Terry Smelker’s workstation includes many interesting elements, like a specialized drawing tablet and a multimedia controller he uses along with his tricked-out MacBook Pro. But even if you’re not curious about his setup proper, get a load of that Apple gear collection! Fortunately, he provided plenty of photographs.

“I’ve always been a huge fan of Apple’s design aesthetic,” he told Cult of Mac. And that started him on his collection of vintage Apple products, which complements the rest of his gear.

M3 MacBook Air could arrive in 2023 in two screen sizes

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WWCC22: The new M2 MacBook Air comes in four colors.
Apple could offer M3 MacBook Air with 13-inch and 15-inch displays.
Photo: Apple

Apple could launch a new MacBook Air powered by a faster M3 processor as soon as next year.

The company also has a bunch of other Macs due for launch later in 2022 or early 2023. They will run on Apple’s new M2 chip, which powers the new 13-inch MacBook Pro as well as the upcoming M2 MacBook Air set for July launch, or the M2’s more powerful Pro/Ultra/Extreme variations.

Why you’d be crazy to buy the new MacBook Pro [The CultCast]

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The CultCast 550 Apple podcast: There are very few reasons why anybody should buy the new MacBook Pro.
There are very few reasons why anybody should buy the new MacBook Pro.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The first reviews for the new M2 MacBook Pro are … not good.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Benchmarks for Apple’s new M2 chip continue to impress, but you can expect even more amazing performance boosts later this year.
  • What the upcoming CarPlay update is really about.
  • Apple TV+ has another hit on its hands with For All Mankind.

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 livestream, embedded below.

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Get CleanMyMac X today with 5% off at macpaw.app/cultcast. Discount valid until June 30.

Exclusive mockups: Apple Watch Explorer Edition looks rugged and sporty

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A sporty new Apple Watch model could debut this fall
A sporty new Apple Watch model could debut this fall
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Rumors of an Apple Watch Explorer Edition started last year, when Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple was working on ruggedized smartwatch designed specifically for athletes. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, from TF International Securities, added fuel to the fire last December, claiming that an “extreme sports version” could debut in 2022.

This month at WWDC, Apple’s focus on new fitness features for watchOS 9 lent further credence to these rumors. As a fitness-fanatic myself, all this hype has got me pretty excited. It inspired me to create these Photoshop mockups, exclusively for Cult of Mac, to explore exactly what the Explorer Edition might look like.

AirPods Pro 2 could act as heart monitor and hearing aid

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AirPods Pro 2 could act as heart monitor and hearing aid
AirPods Pro 2 will supposedly be a mix of AirPods Pro (right) with AirPods 3 (left).
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

It goes without saying that AirPods Pro 2 will offer better sound. Duh. But Apple also will add some surprise features to the next generation of its earbuds, according to a new leak. That includes heart rate detection and a new hearing aid feature.

Plus, the charging case supposedly will make the switch to USB-C, to match reports that iPhone 15 will dump the Lightning port.

Commercials are coming to Netflix

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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

It’s official: Netflix is adding a cheaper ad-supported tier to its streaming service. The change is apparently intended to reverse a recent drop in subscribers.

It’s part of a trend, as rival streaming service Disney+ announced this spring it is making the same move.

First MacBook Pro with speedy M2 chip now in Apple stores [Updated]

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The updated 13-inch MacBook Pro keeps its compact form factor but gains capabilities with the M2 chip.
The updated 13-inch MacBook Pro keeps its compact form factor but gains capabilities with the M2 chip.
Photo: Apple

An updated MacBook Pro – the first laptop to run on the powerful new Apple M2 processor – hit store shelves Friday morning. The chip makes it the fastest 13-inch notebook in Apple’s lineup.

The company unveiled the M2 chip  three weeks ago at its Worldwide Developers Conference. It also took the wraps off the first two laptops to run on it: the just-launched MacBook Pro and a redesigned MacBook Air that is coming in July.

Mounts make the most of a home videoconferencing center [Setups]

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Everything is mounted just so.
Everything is mounted just so.
Photo: [email protected]

Mounts can make the most of a computer setup. They can mobilize so much of your gear — computers, displays, microphones — so you can use them when you need them and push them out of the way when you don’t, opening up desk space. And you can minutely adjust their positioning, too.

Today’s featured MacBook Pro and Mac Studio computer setup takes advantage of mounts for the computers, display, video camera and microphone.