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Long before there was the iPhone, users in France had another connected device with which they could do everything from check movie listings or the weather to chatting with other users or booking vacations: The Minitel.

Pre-dating the World Wide Web by several years, the Minitel was a French videotex online service that could be accessed through the phone line. It was used by tens of millions of people in France. Among those who gave it a go? None other than Apple co-founder Steve Jobs — who once got a unit sent to the U.S. so he could put it through its paces.

Apple’s stopped signing iOS 14.6 after releasing iOS 14.7. That means that, if you’ve upgraded to the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system, it’s too late to turn back. (Although, to be fair, why would you want to?)

iOS 14.7, released last Monday, added support for Apple’s new MagSafe Battery Pack, reverse wireless charging updates, promised improvements to Apple Card, and more.

Ted Lasso is, as far as awards and cultural relevance goes, the biggest hit Apple TV+ has had yet. Last week, season two of the heart-warming comedy debuted on Apple’s streaming service — and, well, it’s a smash hit so far.

According to Deadline, citing data from Apple, it was Apple TV+’s biggest premiere day ever, largest opening weekend to date, and no. 1 debut across all series and movies. That’s pretty impressive.

Elon Musk took a couple of potshots at Apple during Tesla’s Monday earnings call. The Tesla and SpaceX boss started by claiming that Apple uses more cobalt in its batteries than Tesla. He later on talked about “walled gardens” in tech, and fake-coughed while saying Apple’s name.

This isn’t the first time that Musk, who currently has a net worth of $160 billion, has dissed Apple.

Accessories brand MOFT and software startup Popl have released the new MOFT x Popl Tap-to-Connect Stand & Grip. It’s a small smartphone stand that uses software to let you share information easily.

The iPad mini 6 screen will increase to 8.3 inches, according to a report from a display industry expert. This is just the latest leak to indicate that Apple is about to dramatically improve the design of its smallest tablet.

A larger screen should make the computer easier and more fun to use. Especially as the whole device will reportedly stay about the same size.

Although you never know when Covid-19 lockdowns may keep you on the ground, WaterField Designs’ new Air Travel Backpack may make you want to take flight asap. Use it to pack up a couple of laptops, cables and accessories — and maybe a change of clothes or two — and go.

Photography accessories specialist Moment has launched a set of new iPhone 11 series cases that let your nice-but-not-brand-new iPhone play nicely with MagSafe chargers and other accessories.

TwelveSouth has an attractive solution for the problem of messy cables stretching across nearly everyone’s desk. SurfaceSnap offers leather bands with button snaps. Attach one or more of these to a desk or table to secure charging and computer cables.

Apple is testing a new external display with a dedicated A13 chip as well as a neural engine, according to a recent report. And it may also be working on a less-expensive counterpart.

Kerekes István, a 44-year-old photography teacher and freelance photojournalist from Hungary, only just recently picked up his first iPhone. And already he’s used it to win awards.

His photo, titled “Transylvanian Shepherds,” won him both the Grand Prize and Photographer of the Year at this year’s iPhone Photography Awards. The striking scene depicts two shepherds in a snowy and desolate industrial landscape in Romania.

Impressively, István’s imagery also offers a great way of comparing a DSLR with an iPhone, since the photographer captured his winning shot on both. You can see how they measure up below, and find out more about István’s approach to photography.

When a Reddit post draws big interest, it typically gets dozens of comments in a few days. Such is the case with leroy_pylant’s post about 3D printing his own Magic Tray for Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. It generated 76 comments over five days, with a lot of inquiries about how to get the thing.

Top-end 2022 iPhones might come with a body made of titanium alloy, giving the devices impressive toughness without adding a lot of extra weight.

As predicted, Apple’s next special event — dedicated to the iPhone 13 and, possibly, new AirPods — will take place virtually, Mark Gurman reports in his weekend “Power On” newsletter.

Gurman also said that, in keeping with the company’s approach during COVID-19 times, Apple will focus on online sales. That’s a far cry from Apple’s classic launches, where the iPhone unveiling event was attended by hundreds of tech journalists, while fans lined up outside Apple Stores to get their new handsets.

Apple aims to bring Face ID to Mac within the next couple of years, reports Mark Gurman in his weekend “Power On” newsletter for Bloomberg.

Gurman describes deploying the facial-recognition technology across all of Apple’s major devices — iPhone, iPad, Mac — as the company’s “ultimate goal.” He also suggests that Apple could be looking to embed the TrueDepth camera system, which helps power Face ID, in the Mac screen itself. This would help to eliminate the notch at the top of the display.

Ted Lasso’s second season brings more of the aw-shucks charm and positivity that made the show the biggest hit on Apple TV+.

I didn’t find the show’s concept — a cornball U.S. football coach gets hired to lead a U.K. soccer squad — all that intriguing when the show debuted last year. But Ted Lasso’s relentless optimism won me over. And I’m not alone: The upbeat show definitely struck a chord with pandemic-weary viewers all over the world.

The show might be too sappy for Cult of Mac reviewer Scout Tafoya, who’s apparently not a sports fan. (He’s more of a Schmigadoon! kind of guy.) But even he grudgingly admits Ted Lasso is “handsomely produced and well-acted.”

And really, the show isn’t about sports … it’s about life, leadership and the transformative nature of teamwork.

Scout’s Ted Lasso season 2 review is the cover story of this week’s free edition of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now to read on your iOS device of choice. Even if you’re not into sports, or Apple TV+, you’ll find the mag’s stocked with plenty of Apple news, reviews and how-tos.

You’re on a plane, binge-watching your favorite show, but your laptop is running out of battery. With two hours left before you land, you kick yourself for not being prepared. “That’s it,” you think to yourself, “as soon as I land, I’m getting a powerful battery pack.” Well, this week’s giveaway is for you.

ZMI is giving away two powerful portable chargers valued at nearly $230 to two lucky winners. The top prize is the $149 ZMI PowerPack No. 20, which puts out a massive 210W and can recharge a 16-inch MacBook Pro and two other devices simultaneously. This good-looking battery pack won a prestigious design award from Red Dot.

Second prize is the more portable ZMI PowerPack 20K Pro, which puts out 65W max and is valued at $80. Enter this week’s giveaway for your chance at winning one of these two battery packs.

The new Accell Power UV Sanitizer with Wireless Charging promises to kill 99% of common germs and bacteria on your devices with UV light. And of course you can also use it to power them up.

Add Facebook to the list of companies offering a gaming service for iPhone. There’s a lengthy list of titles available on day one, including strategy, role playing, trivia and other types of games.

But don’t look for these in the App Store — Apple’s stringent rules on gaming services caused Facebook Gaming to be introduced as a web app instead.

Smart home accessory maker Aqara’s new gadget for HomeKit lets you monitor air quality in your house. As pollution rises from wildfires and other causes — depending on where you live — you may find it handy to glance at the Aqara TVOC Air Quality Monitor to know whether you need to do something about the air you breathe.

Satechi, known for an array of iPad and iPhone accessories, has released a trio of GaN wall chargers to help you keep all your Apple devices powered up.

A Kickstarter campaign promises a new iPhone wireless charger with a zirconia ceramic body and interior mechanics designed for easy repairs and upgrades. That means it bucks the “planned obsolescence” trend and begs longterm — and even permanent — use. The product’s name? Biscuit.

Redditor N3oPuff drew some attention on the social media platform with a setup photo that flaunts mind-blowing gear not so much as it does natural beauty. It definitely brings to mind the old real estate maxim: “location, location, location.” But an M1 Mac mini always helps.

In fact, it could be the perfect Setup for a summer Friday.

The 2021 iPad mini will be Apple’s next tablet with a mini-LED display, according to information leaking from a component supplier. This type of screen looks better than the standard LCD used in many current iPads.

But an display industry expert claims there’s no truth to this report.

Even so, Apple allegedly won’t reserved the display tech for tablet much longer. mini-LED displays will also supposedly be used in upcoming MacBook Pro models.

Jetpack Joyride+ launched on Apple Arcade Friday, allowing subscribers to play the classic game without the hassle of in-app purchases.

Strap on a jetpack and fly through an endless runner. Or ride a mechanical dragon or giant mech while wearing a crazy costume — the game offers all these modes.