Apple reportedly bought AI Music, a startup that uses artificial intelligence to create songs in real time.
The technology will most likely be integrated into the Apple Photos application for creating background music for slideshows and video montages.
Dell said it has started shipping two new monitors that are the first on the market using LG’s new IPS Black Technology, rolled out at CES in January. IPS Black promises 35% deeper blacks than typical 4K displays, which tend to have poor contrast in favor of other benefits (mainly brighter colors). That’s effectively doubles the usual contrast ratio to 2000:1.
If you depend on your display for the best possible image — say, like a designer does — the new monitors could offer the great color IPS displays are known for, but with solid contrast, too.
Apple TV+ set a premiere date of April 29 and put out an initial trailer for the Apple Original horror-thriller series Shining Girls on Friday. And it’s seriously spooky. What with all the blurred reality and scary-shapeshifting-killer vibes, the trailer makes the show look both disturbing and disorienting.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is being urged to look into Apple’s claim that it doesn’t use nondisclosure agreements to prevent its employees from talking about alleged incidents of harassment and discrimination.
The request comes from a collection of state treasurers who point out that activists accuse Apple of using NDAs for exactly this purpose.
A Colorado woman was rescued from a kidnapper after police tracked down her iPad at a motel in another state.
Apple devices can be connected to the Find My network, allowing their owners to locate them if they’re misplaced. But the feature has other uses… obviously.
When Apple demonstrated its new Universal Control feature during its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote back in June 2021, it made Apple fans drool. Too bad Cupertino made everyone wait longer than expected to get their hands on it.
But now, Universal Control is finally in beta testing ahead of its public release, and the anticipatory drool is once again flowing — especially among those who get to test it out.
The owner of today’s iMac Pro-based featured setup, a game developer and blogger, is no exception.
Apple today received its third €5 million (approx. $5.7 million) fine from Dutch regulators for failing to comply with new legislation that allows dating apps to accept payments outside of the App Store.
The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) warned Cupertino that it could have to pay up to €50 million (approx. $57 million) for not abiding by the new rules. “ACM is disappointed in Apple’s behavior and actions,” it said Monday.
Apple considered bringing Face ID to the M1 iMac, which would have been an ideal candidate for the facial recognition technology, according to a new report.
It’s not clear why the company didn’t follow through with the move. It is believed Face ID could appear in a future Apple desktop. But one source, who has been reliable in the past, says the technology isn’t yet ready for a MacBook.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: iOS 15.4 packs a punch with some fun and useful new features. It’s still just a beta, but it will give us lots of new emoji for our critical, high-level communications when it goes live. Plus, the beta includes a convenient new way to unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask — just in time for the end of the pandemic! 🤞
Also on The CultCast:
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 (down by the headlines and donkey links).
The amazing Samuel L. Jackson will star in The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey when it premieres on Apple TV+ in March. A new trailer gives an advance look at a series that’s sure to be both uplifting and heartbreaking.
Apple’s streaming service also revealed on Friday that the espionage series Slow Horses starring Gary Oldman will debut in April.
In addition, Apple TV+ gave the launch date for more shows coming this spring — all filled with celebrities.
Since Apple Music launched in 2015, it has offered first-time subscribers a three-month free trial — a very tempting proposition in a competitive streaming market. But now the service has cut the free trail for first-timers to one month, starting this week.
Apple Music continues to offer a six-month free trial to those who buy eligible audio devices.
The third-generation iPhone SE will have a few improvements over the current version, but MagSafe won‘t be one of them, according to a new report coming from Asia.
At this point, it appears the major changes in the upcoming iOS handset will be speed related.
In a first look at season 2 of the political thriller Tehran, Apple TV+ put out a photograph showing the series’ new cast member, Emmy Award-winner Glenn Close. And the streaming service said the first episode will premiere on May 6.
Anyone with a curious cat knows the desktop can be one of their favorite spots. Sometimes it’s like they’re trying to ensure you can’t work, as they sit or stretch out right on top of the keyboard or in front of the screen. And that’s just when you’re sitting there. Who knows what they do when you’re away. Other than dreaming up other ways to hasten your unemployment.
Lucky for you, today’s featured computer setup shows a simple method for protecting peripherals like input devices — keyboard, mouse, perhaps a trackpad — from pushy pets. And if you’ve got canines, take heart. It also works for dog slobber.
Don’t you just hate it when you buy a screen protector that doesn’t cover your iPhone’s entire screen? That’s not a problem with these tough tempered glass protectors from Limited77, which keep your iPhone 13 looking sharp.
Get yours today to save 20% — and enjoy the same discount on all other Limited77 accessories for iPhone and Apple Watch in the Cult of Mac Store.
Apple users do the darnedest things with old gear. Recently a guy stuck a USB-C port in an iPhone X and got $86,000 for it on eBay. We profiled a Romanian developer who designs games for souped-up vintage Macs. Then there was the guy who merged an M1 Mac mini with an iMac G4.
And now we find a clever TikTok user crafting a retro-cool iPad case with an Apple Watch charger out of a classic iBook G3 laptop.
Apple on Thursday confirmed it will charge developers in the Netherlands a 27% cut of sales revenue when they use third-party payment systems. And, just as expected, that has not gone down well with developers.
Steve Troughton-Smith, creator of apps like Broadcasts and Pastel for iOS, called the move “absolutely vile” and said Apple executives “should be ashamed.” Here’s what others are saying.
Activision Blizzard confirmed on Thursday that it plans to bring Warcraft to mobile devices this year. The game has been in “advanced development” since last summer, but this is the first time Blizzard has offered a release date.
It’s not yet clear what the Warcraft experience will look like on smartphones. Fans will no doubt be hoping to get a taste of the original MMORPG formula on-the-go, but some rumors have hinted that it could be very different.
Apple on Thursday published new details on how it plans to handle third-party payments for dating apps in the Netherlands. The document confirms that Apple will continue to take a cut of all net revenues at a “reduced” rate of 27%.
It also states that developers must provide Cupertino with a report of all transactions each month so that they can be invoiced for the commission. Apple says it has the right to carry out audits to ensure accurate reporting.
A new Apple TV+ trailer for the Apple Original documentary series Lincoln’s Dilemma shows Honest Abe in a new light, as historians reflect upon what he was really about and how the changing country challenged the president who never asked to be “The Great Emancipator.”
The four-part series hits Apple TV+ all at once, not one episode at a time, on February 18.
Bacteria is everywhere. Health experts say a lot of it is actually beneficial rather than harmful, but it can still give you the “icks.” If you’re a person who wipes down gadgets a lot because you know your hands and fingers are basically Petri dishes gone wild, Targus rolled out a new active stylus for iPad on Thursday that might suit you.
It’s the new Targus Antimicrobial Active Stylus for iPad, designed to remain 99.9% free of bacterial growth for the life of the product.
Demand for some iPad models outstrips supply. And the result is customers waiting a month or more to receive their tablet. Buyers in some countries who place an order now will be waiting until March to receive it.
The problem is a shortage of the secondary processors used in the mobile computers. Apple just can’t get as many as it needs.
Philips Hue unleashed a dozen new lighting scenes in the Hue app on Monday. So now you can dress up your HomeKit-connected lighting with delightful colorations like Amber Bloom, Painted Sky, Orange Fields and Blue Planet — among many others.
The release comes soon after the company put out a trio of cool vintage-vibe lights for outdoor use.
Why cough up $99 on Apple’s Milanese Loop for Apple Watch when outstanding third-party alternatives are available at a fraction of the cost. SwitchEasy’s stunning Steel Mesh is just as pretty and incredibly solid.
What’s more, it’s now available for under $28 after a 20% discount. Bag yours from the Cult of Mac Store today before the sale ends.
Creeps have taken to selling “silent AirTags” with disabled speakers that other creeps can use for more effective stalking. One such device was selling for $77.50 on Etsy before the “star seller” had a change of heart and removed it.
Apple designed AirTag to emit a sound after it has been away from its paired device for a certain period of time, which can help alert those around it of its presence. Without a speaker, AirTag is much more difficult to detect.