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News - page 274

New Satechi Mac dock adds multiple Thunderbolt and USB-A ports, plus more

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New Satechi Mac dock adds multiple Thunderbolt and USB-A ports, plus more
The Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Dock adds almost a dozen ports. And it enables high-speed data transfers over most of them.
Photo: Satechi

Satechi’s just-launched Thunderbolt 4 Dock includes a whopping eleven ports, including three Thunderbolt 4 and four USB-A ports. And there’s also a range of other ports for connecting additional peripherals.

Plus, Satechi launched a pair of USB-C hubs on Wednesday.

Next-gen AirPods Pro could bring new design, better chip in late 2022

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Next-gen AirPods Pro concept
They could look a little like this.
Concept: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

We could be waiting close to a year for Apple’s much-anticipated AirPods Pro upgrade, but according to one analyst, it will be well worth the wait. The next-generation buds are expected to deliver a brand-new design and a better chip.

They could also be Apple’s first headphones with fitness tracking capabilities.

AirPods on acid: See the evolution of Apple’s wireless buds like never before

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AirPods Pro CT scan
A CT scan reveals the insides of AirPods Pro in the prettiest way possible.
Photos: Scan of the Month

Ever wondered what your favorite wireless headphones might look like during a weird acid trip? Find out right here (while sober) with these mesmerizing CT scans of AirPods, which showcase the evolution of Apple’s buds on the inside.

AirPods have seen some surprisingly big changes since their initial introduction in late 2016. Here’s how Apple made them better — and even more compact.

macOS 12.1 release candidate brings SharePlay a big step closer to Mac

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SharePlay for Mac iPad and iPhone
A highlight of macOS 12.1 Monterey will be SharePlay.
Photo: Apple

Developers got access to the macOS 12.1 release candidate on Tuesday. This means beta testing of the new Monterey version is almost over, and Mac users will soon be able to start playing with SharePlay. But there’s still no sign of the much anticipated Universal Control feature.

Apple also seeded release candidates for iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2 and watchOS 8.3 to developers.

New iPhone security features are almost here

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New iPhone security features are almost here in iOS 15.2
Devs can start testing iOS 15.2. The full release is expected by mid-December.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple seeded the iOS 15.2 release candidate to developers on Tuesday, along with the iPad equivalent. When released to the public, iPhones will alert parents if their children send or receive nudes, there’s a new App Privacy Report, and users will be able to look for AirTags that might be tracking them.

The macOS 12.1 RC and watchOS 8.3 RC also went to devs on Tuesday.

Razer’s colorful cooling fan keeps iPhone cool when the gaming gets hot

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Razer Phone Cooler Chroma keeps iPhone cool when the gaming gets hot
The Razer Phone Cooler Chroma blows away the heat that can build up during long gaming sessions.
Photo: Razer

The Razer Phone Cooler Chroma is a fan designed to cool smartphones that heat up when playing demanding games. And it has colorful LEDs to make it look even cooler.

An iPhone version uses MagSafe. There’s also one for handsets without built-in magnets.

Bowers & Wilkins’ iconic Zeppelin wireless speaker flies again

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Bower & Wilkins revamped its powerful Zeppelin wireless speaker for today's streamers.
Bower & Wilkins revamped its powerful Zeppelin wireless speaker for today's streamers.
Photo: Bower & Wilkins

UK-based audio specialist Bowers & Wilkins first released its Zeppelin speaker as an iPod dock in 2007. Following a couple of other iterations over the years — the most recent one released six years ago — the airship-shaped powerhouse is back, and refitted for the streaming age.

Tim Cook allegedly pledged $275 billion to China in ‘secret’ investment deal

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Tim Cook's secret China investment deal: The agreement is said to have helped settle tensions with Chinese authorities.
The agreement is said to have helped settle tensions with Chinese authorities.
Photo: Fortune Global Forum/Flickr CC

Apple CEO Tim Cook “secretly” struck a deal with China in which he agreed to invest around $275 billion of Apple’s money to boost the country’s economy and “technological prowess,” according to a new report.

The five-year agreement was allegedly made during a series of visits Cook made to China in 2016 amid growing regulatory hostilities toward Cupertino. Since then, Apple has become China’s biggest smartphone brand.

Google adds voice and video calls to the Gmail app on iPhone and iPad

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Gmail adds voice and video calls
Download the update today to start chatting.
Screenshots: Google

You can now place calls and join remote meetings from right inside the Gmail app on iPhone and iPad.

Google Chat integration, with support for both voice and video calls, has been added in the app’s latest update. But it comes with one big limitation that means you’ll probably still need to keep the Google Chat app.

Apple expects iPhone demand to bounce back in early 2022

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iPhone 13 and new iPads hit the Apple Store
iPhone demand has reportedly fallen in recent weeks — but it may not be down for long.
Photo: Apple

Apple is expected to increase iPhone shipments by 30% during early 2022, according to a new report, which cites multiple sources familiar with the plan. It is believed Cupertino hopes to ship 300 million throughout next year.

A recent report claimed Apple had cut iPhone orders going into the holiday season as a result of weakening demand for its newest models — thanks in large part to the component shortages that have made some options hard to obtain.

Win a Wacom Intuos Pro creative pen tablet [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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Intuos Pro
This slim pen tablet is designed to create.
Photo: Wacom

If you fancy yourself an artist, this giveaway is for you. Cult of Mac is giving one lucky winner an Intuos Pro tablet with pen from Wacom, the global leader in the pen display and tablet market. You can connect it via Bluetooth or USB to your Mac (or PC), and use it to draw, paint or retouch photos.

Art is excellent for mental health. So boost your self-esteem by drawing and painting on your Mac. If you want a sense of accomplishment that a finished creation can give, make sure to enter our giveaway.

Accell’s new Thunderbolt 4 dock offers high-speed data transfers, plenty of ports

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Accell’s new Thunderbolt 4 dock offers high-speed data transfers, plenty of ports
The Accell Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station is ready for professional workloads.
Photo: Accell

The Accell Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station allows multiple peripheral connections to Mac through a single Thunderbolt 4 cable. It turns a single Thunderbolt port into two, while also offering DisplayPort, USB-A, Ethernet and more.

The professional-grade hub is available for purchase starting Monday.

Apple TV+ picks up a respectable 9 Critics Choice nominations

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Apple starts shooting second season of For All Mankind next month
“For All Mankind” picked up a nomination Best Drama Series in the Critics Choice TV Awards. Other Apple TV+ shows also received nominations.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ received nine nominations across six programs for the 27th Annual Critics Choice TV Awards. That includes Best Drama Series for For All Mankind, Best Comedy Series for Ted Lasso, and Best Movie Made for Television for Come From Away.

The winners will be announced in January.

New Apple program will teach thousands of kids to code

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Using iPad and Apple’s Everyone Can Code curriculum, kids and teens at Boys & Girls Clubs in more than a dozen US cities will have the chance to learn the basics of app design and development.
Using iPad and Apple’s Everyone Can Code curriculum, kids and teens at Boys & Girls Clubs in more than a dozen US cities will have the chance to learn the basics of app design and development.
Photo: Apple

In celebration of Computer Science Education Week, Apple said Monday it launched a new program that will help tens of thousands of kids and teens at Boys & Girls Clubs in more than a dozen U.S. cities to learn how to code.

Add Ethernet and 6 more ports to MacBook with HyperDrive Duo Pro

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Add Ethernet and 6 more ports to MacBook with HyperDrive Duo Pro
The HyperDrive Duo Pro adds the ports your MacBook needs without too much bulk.
Photo: Hyper

HyperDrive Duo Pro is a 7-in-2 USB-C Hub that plugs into the side of a MacBook to add a variety of ports, including Gigabit Ethernet, USB-A and microSD.

It’s designed to not interfere with the new MagSafe 3 power port on the 2021 MacBooks, but the hub is also compatible with any Apple laptop going back to 2016.

Clean M1 Mac mini station is an audio-visual beast [Setups]

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This clean, M1 Mac mini-based setup packs a lot of audio-visual firepower.
This clean, M1 Mac mini-based setup packs a lot of audio-visual firepower.
Photo: [email protected]

Some computer setups are remarkably cool for their awesome computing power. Others wow you with incredible displays, with several high-def monitors. And still others blow you away with premium sound. Or, in the case of today’s featured setup, premium audio-visual gear many people would be psyched to get their hands on.

Keep a low profile with Rode’s discreet new Lavalier II microphone

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The Rode Lavalier II offers broadcast-quality recording in a tiny package.
The Rode Lavalier II offers broadcast-quality recording in a tiny package.
Photo: Rode

Australia-based Rode Microphones rolled out its new Rode Lavalier II microphone, a big update — or a small one, literally — on its original premium lavalier mic introduced about a decade ago. The new mic’s low-profile design makes it discreet and simple to conceal underneath clothing.

Apple has big plans for 2022, including iPad Pro and MacBook Air overhauls

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Apple in 2022
It could be another great year.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple reportedly plans ambitious upgrades for a number of its hottest products in 2022, including major revamps for iPad Pro and MacBook Air — as well as an Apple silicon boost for the Mac Pro. Mac mini is also expected to see a refresh.

What’s more, the next-generation Apple Watch will come in a “ruggedized version aimed at extreme sports athletes.”

What’s the most ambitious watch band Apple ever made?

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The Clover Solo Loop for Apple Watch comes in nine sizes -- as well as six other Solo Loop colors besides dark green.
The Solo Loop for Apple Watch comes in nine sizes and seven colors.
Photo: Apple

One of the many things that set an Apple Watch apart from traditional watches is the massive selection of inexpensive straps. Cupertino made installing Apple Watch bands so easy that you can change up your look on a dime — and for almost that little money.

While seemingly millions of options exist for a mere $10 or so, Apple makes some of the best bands in the business. They cost a little more than most, but they may be worth it.

And one band, in particular, stands as the “most ambitious” watch band Apple ever made, according to Evans Hankey, Apple’s VP of industrial design.

Just how cool will Apple’s VR headset be? [The CultCast]

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The CultCast: Are you ready for Apple VR headset?
Are you really ready for VR?
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Let’s talk about the virtual reality headset Apple supposedly will unleash next year. Will it happen? What will it do? And do we even want it to happen?

Also on The CultCast:

  • Maybe AirPower isn’t dead — and maybe something even more amazing is on the horizon.
  • Tesla Cyberwhistle FTW.
  • Our first round of Gear of the Year picks.

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.

How a 1993 puzzle adventure became Apple’s 2021 Game of the Year

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Myst on Mac
It's easy to see why Myst is Apple's Mac Game of the Year.
Photo: Apple

Myst, the puzzle-adventure game from Cyan, has been named the 2021 Mac Game of the Year by Apple. But this popular classic actually made its debut way back in 1993.

Myst has gone through an incredible transformation since then. What was once a meager 3MB install is now a whopping 11.5GB download that’s packed with puzzles, glorious graphics and immersive sound. Here’s why the game picked up an Apple award — and why you might want to play it.