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News - page 250

Compact new magnetic charger tops up iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all at once

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You can stick this all-in-one charging station on a nightstand.
You can stick this all-in-one charging station on a nightstand.
Photo: Native Union

Does charging up all your gadgets in one place sound good? Native Union rolled out a new MagSafe-compatible 3-in-1 wireless charging station Tuesday that should do the trick, topping up your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all in one go.

The compact Native Union Snap 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger joins the previously released Snap 2-in-1 in the company’s charging lineup.

Bang & Olufsen’s pricey new ANC earbuds borrow AirPods Pro design

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Nice stems on those. But $400 nice?
Nice stems on those. But $400 nice?
Photo: Bang & Olufsen

Danish audio legend Bang & Olufsen has struck out in a new yet familiar direction with its latest true wireless earbuds, the Beoplay EX. It’s the company’s first set of earbuds with stems, which makes them look a lot like AirPods Pro.

As a premium offering, Beoplay EX boasts all of the expected features, like active noise cancellation (ANC). The buds also claim top-notch sound and demand a high price for it — $399, considerably more than AirPods Pro and other major contenders.

There’s recycled gold in them there iPhones

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Daisy the robot can disassemble up to 1.2 million phones each year.
Daisy the robot can disassemble up to 1.2 million phones each year, helping Apple recover more valuable materials for recycling.
Photo: Apple

For the first time, Apple is putting certified recycled gold in the iPhone. It’s part of the company’s increased use of recycled content across its products. Because of these efforts, nearly 20% of all material used in Apple products in 2021 was recycled, a new high point for the company.

“As people around the world join in celebrating Earth Day, we are making real progress in our work to address the climate crisis and to one day make our products without taking anything from the earth,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, in a press release Tuesday.

Apple also added a new shredderbot that rips apart audio modules to its robot recycling crew.

Apple TV+ Make or Break trailer follows top surfers’ intense competitions

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Hang ten with some of the top surfers in the world.
Hang ten with some of the top surfers in the world.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ released the first trailer Monday for Make or Break, a new seven-part documentary series that delivers behind-the-scenes access to the world’s best surfers. The series follows them as they battle for the world title at the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT).

In the trailer, you get to briefly meet a bunch of the world’s best surfers and get a taste of the huge challenges they face.

And dude, you can’t unsee the surfboard with the big shark-bite taken out of it.

Arm your drone with GoPro’s new ‘Black Bones’ camera

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GoPro's new version of the Hero10 Black strips away weight and bulk.
GoPro's new version of the Hero10 Black strips away weight and bulk for use with drones.
Photo: GoPro

GoPro rolled out a new first-person view (FPV) drone camera last week, though only in the U.S. It’s a stripped-down version of the company’s popular Hero10 Black action camera called the GoPro Hero10 Black Bones.

As the name implies, it’s bare-bones, brought down to a very light weight. So you can attach it to your drone and fly it around.

Every MacBook and iPad user should carry these 3 adapters

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Every MacBook and iPad user needs these 3 adapters
A small collection of adapters can really make your life easier.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Adapters simplify the sometimes-messy process of connecting things to our computers. I regularly travel, and I’ve found there are three USB adapters that get me through most of my connection problems.

If you, for example, suddenly need to use a new accessory at a client’s office, or get power at an airport, these adapters will get you through. And they are very affordable.

CODA coda: Tim Cook will address grads at leading school for the deaf

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Cook during a previous commencement address.
Cook during a previous commencement address.
Photo: George Washington University

Gallaudet University confirmed Saturday that Apple CEO Tim Cook agreed to deliver its commencement address next month. Cook responded to a student’s invitation via Twitter to speak at the school’s 152nd Commencement on May 13.

Gallaudet, located in Washington, D.C., calls itself the only university in the world where Deaf, deaf-blind and hard-of-hearing students live and learn bilingually in American Sign Language and English.

Apple and the university have close ties, with Gallaudet serving as an Apple Campus. Incoming students are equipped with a MacBook Pro or an iPad Pro. And the school praised Apple TV+ Oscar-winning film CODA for its realistic portrayal of a deaf family.

Studio Display is worth the price for the levitation alone [Setups]

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Oh, you didn't know the new Studio Display levitates? Well, sort of.
Oh, you didn't know the new Studio Display levitates? Well, sort of.
Photo: [email protected]

After Apple rolled out its new Studio Display on March 18, the reviews poured in. Many praised the 27-inch 5K display. But some found faults. Ultimately, after the dust settled, a primary question lingered. It’s good, for the most part, but is it worth the $1,600 price?

Today’s featured setup seems to answer the question in the affirmative. See how the Studio Display in the photo floats in the air? When you think about it, it’s really just a matter of factoring in the value of levitation.

Eufy’s new fingerprint ID smart lock is also a 2K security camera and doorbell

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Eufy's new smart lock is also a wide-angle security camera and a motion-detecting doorbell.
Eufy's new smart lock is also a wide-angle security camera and a motion-detecting doorbell.
Photo: Eufy

Eufy has a new Kickstarter campaign for what it calls “the see-everything smart lock.” It’s the Eufy Video Smart Lock, a 3-in-1 device that works as a fingerprint-detecting lock, a 2K, wide-angle camera and a dual motion-detection doorbell, the company said.

Now that’s a capable gadget. And it has a substantial price to match. See below.

Two Apple TV+ shows beat anything on Netflix and Disney+ in Q1 2022

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Apple TV+, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+
Apple is managing to stand out in the streaming market in Q1 2022.
Photo: Cult of Mac

More streaming viewers watched the drama CODA on Apple TV+ than any other movie or series during the first three months of 2022, according to a ratings tracker. And the thriller Severance on Apple’s streaming service came in third place overall.

That means Apple TV+ streamed two shows with more viewers than anything on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu or Disney+.

Ends Sunday: 20% off all Elago Apple accessories

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Yes, you're AirPods Pro case can look like an adorable little Mac.
Yes, you're AirPods Pro case can look like an adorable little Mac.
Photo: Elago

Elago makes so many fun and interesting accessories for Apple products, it’s hard to know where to begin. But begin you should, because Saturday and Sunday you can get 20% off everything Elago in the Cult of Mac Store.

Don’t worry. There are a mind-numbing 148 products to choose from, but we’ll help you pick some choice items below. And you can browse everything in Elago’s Easter weekend sale, of course. But don’t dawdle. It’s only for the weekend, and it ends Sunday!

This weekend only: Take 20% off all BluShark bands for Apple Watch

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BluShark's Apple Watch bands come in a great variety of materials and colors.
BluShark's Apple Watch bands come in a great variety of materials and colors.
Photo: BluShark

If you’re thinking about freshening up your Apple Watch band — or giving one as a gift to a family member or friend — you’re in luck. This weekend only, April 16 – 17, BluShark is offering all of its bands at 20% off in the Cult of Mac Store.

With a choice of 41 different straps in a variety of materials and colors, you’re bound to find something great. And there’s a handsome Canvas Strap Roll to carry your watches, straps and tools, as well.

iPad Pro is a real steal after a $400 discount

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Logitech Combo Touch review
The deals on the 2021 iPad Pro lineup are too good to ignore
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The M1 iPad Pro is discounted by up to $400 on Amazon, making it the perfect time to pick one up. The 11-inch iPad Pro sees a sweet $50 discount off its retail price, bringing its price down to $749.

The best deal is on the top-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro with cellular connectivity and 2TB storage that’s discounted by $400.

Unreal Engine’s free Core game creation tool comes to macOS and iOS

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Core is a game-development tool previously limited to PCs.
Core is a game-development tool previously limited to PCs.
Photo: Manticore Games

Core is a free tool for creating games that runs on Unreal Engine, which is only available on PC. But as part of its one-year anniversary, developer Manticore Games said Friday that Core is coming to macOS and iOS in summer 2022.

When Mac, iPhone and iPad get Core, gamers will be able to cross-play between versions with Windows gamers, Manticore said. And developers can start playing with Core for iOS on Friday.

New China COVID-19 lockdowns could hit iPhone production hard

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A new wave of lockdowns in China could put Apple millions of units behind on iPhone production.
A new wave of lockdowns in China could put Apple millions of units behind on iPhone production.
Illustration: Cult of Mac

Analysts note that new COVID-19 lockdowns in China are hitting Apple’s supply chain hard. And the pain will likely worsen, with production falling behind by up to 10 million iPhones.

And this is not just about iPhones. Authorities have halted production at three key suppliers for iPhone, iPad and Mac assembly. Meanwhile, Apple is negotiating to reopen production lines, though success could be hard to come by, according to one analyst Friday.

This follows recent news of assembly and shipping delays on built-to-order MacBook Pro models.

Simple Mac mini workstation packs more than meets the eye [Setups]

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This computer setup simply has more in it than there appears.
This computer setup simply has more in it than there appears.
Photo: [email protected]

At a glance, today’s featured computer setup appears simpler than it really is. It showcases a Mac mini, a pair of mounted monitors and some typical-looking input devices. A row of water bottles stands to the right because the owner, who lives in India, is big on hydration as summer hits the subcontinent.

But there’s more to the setup than meets the eye. And some of it escapes the camera’s lens.

Apple preps 9 Macs with new M2 processor

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M2 MacBook Pro
Is a new M2 chip right around the corner?
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple reportedly has half a dozen Macs with the next-generation M2 processor in testing. These are a mix of MacBooks and desktops.

Some supposedly will arrive later in 2022, but Apple won’t release the rest until 2023.

Celebrate Earth Day the Apple Pay way, auto-donating $1 at a time

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Use Apple Pay to donate to a good cause this year around Earth Day.
Use Apple Pay to donate to a good cause this year around Earth Day.
Photo: Apple

If you care about environmental causes, Apple just gave you a pretty painless way to give. Starting Thursday and running through Earth Day on April 22, Apple will donate $1 to the World Wildlife Fund for every Apple Pay transaction in Apple stores, on the store app or on Apple.com.

So start buying stuff and join the fight to save the planet’s beleaguered species.