Mobile menu toggle

News - page 383

Linux might come to M1 Macs with your help

By •

Linux on an M1 Mac is possible. With a lot of work.
A developer with decades of experience porting Linux to game consoles wants to make a Linux M1 Mac.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Hector Martin (aka marcan) wants to port a full, useful version of the Linux operating system to the new Macs running Apple Silicon, but he needs help.

He’s got the skills for it — he put Linux on a PlayStation 4, for example. But the developer wants assistance from the public bringing the operating system to Macs running the new M1 processor. Not technical help, but financial contributions.

Net neutrality might return when controversial FCC chairman resigns

By •

FCC chairman Ajit Pai isn’t down with China Mobile coming to the United States.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is on his way out, which possibly might bring back net neutrality.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

The man who ended net neutrality will exit the Federal Communications Commission along with the Trump administration in January. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai was in office for less than four years, but brought significant change.

No change was as dramatic as ending the rules that prevented broadband service providers from slowing down the internet traffic of rival companies.

Why I’m mourning iOS 14’s botched Clock app

By •

iOS 14 Clock app: Why did Apple kill the magical scroll wheel?
Why did Apple eliminate the magical scroll wheel?
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

“You maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you!”

That’s the Charlton Heston-pounding-his-fist-dispairingly-into-the-sand sentiment that shot through my mind when I saw what Apple did to the Clock app in iOS 14. Specifically, Apple ruined the app’s alarm feature, making it so unintuitive that you’ll struggle to believe it was made by the company that coined the phrase “it just works.”

How did Apple manage to take an app that worked spectacularly well and screw it up?

Get an extra $15 when you sell your old Apple devices to Cult of Mac

By •

iPhone 6 Plus
Just for Cyber Monday!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Picked up a new Apple device at a big discount this weekend? Now it’s time to sell your old ones and make back some cash for the holidays. Cult of Mac is here to help with a sweet Cyber Monday buyback deal.

Sell your old Apple devices to us today and we’ll give you an extra $15 for each one. This deal ends at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1, so take advantage of it while you can

Last chance: Save in Cult of Mac Store’s biggest ever sale

By •

Cult of Mac Store Cyber Monday sale
Don't miss your chance to enjoy these big discounts.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

The Cult of Mac Store’s biggest ever sale is coming to an end, but there’s still time to save on the hottest accessories from some of the biggest brands this Cyber Monday.

You’ll find cases, sleeves, bands, stands, and more from the likes of Twelve South, Elago, and Casetify at up to 72% off the usual price. And we’ll even throw in free standard shipping when you spend over $75.

Don’t miss out! Check out all the items on offer today and bag yourself a bargain.

Ultra-rare Apple-1 computer, signed by Steve Wozniak, is up for auction

By •

Apple-1
This Apple-1 is among the rarest bits of Apple memorabilia you can own.
Photo: RR Auction

An ultra-rare Apple-1, the first computer Apple ever produced as a company, is coming up for auction. And it’s signed by none other than designer and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

This Apple-1, one of only a handful of the computers thought to exist today, has been restored to an operational state. It comes in its original shipping box, making it an even less common specimen. It could be yours for no more than the price of a typical mid-priced American home.

Apple won’t join French initiative to push tech giants to pay more tax

By •

iPhone 12 Pro parts cost shockingly little
Should Apple pay more tax than it does?
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple has reportedly declined to sign on to a new French initiative that asks big tech companies to commit to paying their “fair share” of tax.

French President Emmanuel Macron has set up a “Tech for Good Call” that will seek to implement these changes. However, while Google, Microsoft, Facebook and 72 other companies have joined, Apple and Amazon haven’t signed on yet.

Classic PlayStation RPG SaGa Frontier is coming to iPhone next year

By •

sagafrontier
Coming to the App Store in a remastered edition next year.
Photo: Square Enix

As great as it is to see brand new games arrive in the App Store, it’s in some ways even better when a game you enjoyed as a fresh-faced young person, eyes shining excitedly at the prospect of life stretching ahead of you, gets ported to iOS. What better way to relive misspent youth?

The latest title set to receive this treatment is Square Enix’s SaGa Frontier, an RPG which found relative fame on the PlayStation (that’s right, young people: the first PlayStation) back in the late 1990s. Look for SaGa Frontier Remastered to arrive on iOS (alongside Android, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC) in summer 2021.

Check out the trailer.

Don’t miss these big Cyber Monday deals on Apple devices

By •

Apple Cyber Monday deals
These discounts will disappear soon — don't miss out!
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Black Friday might be over, but Cyber Monday has only just begun. That means there’s still time to pick up the hottest Apple devices at a big discount. You’ll find generous savings on everything from AirPods and Beats to the newest M1 Macs and Apple Watch models.

We’ve rounded up some of the best deals for you to make the hunt a little easier — and to ensure you don’t miss out! So, grab your wallet and get shopping!

Italy fines Apple $12 million over misleading iPhone water-resistance claims

By •

washing iPhone with soap and water
Not as water-resistant as claimed?
Photo: Leander Kahney / Cult of Mac

Italy’s competition authority has fined Apple 10 million euros ($12 million) for allegedly misleading customers about just how water-resistant iPhones are.

Apple claims that several of its iPhone models can withstand being submerged for up to 30 minutes. However, the competition body says that this is only with pure water in a lab. Such tests supposedly yield different results from real-world scenarios in which a phone may be dropped into water.

Apple gears up to open its second store in Seoul

By •

Apple South Korea Store
Apple is expanding its footprint in South Korea.
Photo: Apple

Apple is making inroads in taking over Samsung’s home turf. Well, sort of.

Cupertino is getting ready to open its second brick-and-mortar Apple store in South Korea, home to Samsung. The store will be located in the main finance district of Seoul, Korea’s capital city. Apple Yeouido is located in the upscale IFC Mall Seoul. No exact opening date has yet been announced.

New MacBook Air is an ‘instant classic’ [Cult of Mac Magazine 377]

By •

M1 MacBook Air review: It's an instant classic.
The new M1-powered MacBook Air is a total joy.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Just how good is that new MacBook Air? Leander Kahney, our tab-hoarding editor in chief, calls it an “instant classic.” Read his full MacBook Air review to get some interesting insights into the incredible performance of this M1-powered laptop.

However, buyer beware: If you’re considering snapping up one of these new Macs with Apple Silicon inside, there are several things that could be deal-breakers, depending on your own particular needs. Be sure to check out our quick checklist of “6 reasons an M1 Mac might not be right for you.”

Read all that and more in this week’s free edition of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now for a slick reading experience on your iOS device.

Also: Don’t miss out on the great deals in the Cult of Mac Store’s biggest-ever event. Our massive Black Friday sale runs all weekend long.

iOS 14 widgets changed the way I use my iPhone

By •

iOS 14 widgets changed the way I use my iPhone.
With iOS 14, my iPhone home screen is primarily a place to put widgets.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

After a decade with an iPhone, I didn’t expect anything could come along to transform the way I use my phone. iOS 14 widgets proved me wrong. They have me interacting with the handset in a way I never have before.

Get a sneak preview of Mariah Carey’s Apple TV+ Christmas special

By •

Christmas special
All she wants for Christmas is for you to subscribe to Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Mariah Carey is doing her bit to make this holiday season a bit more festive — courtesy of an upcoming Christmas special for Apple TV+. And she’s bringing a whole lot of friends with her.

In a sneak preview posted on Twitter with the message “One week to go,” Carey showed what we can expect from the upcoming Magical Christmas Special, arriving on Apple TV+ December 4.

Alongside Mariah, it will include appearances by (deep breath) Tiffany Haddish, Billy Eichner, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, Misty Copeland, and plenty of others.

Jump to Warp Drive – Teleport Racing on Apple Arcade

By •

‘ Warp Drive - Teleport Racing’ debuted November 27 on Apple Arcade.
Warp Drive - Teleport Racing is the latest racing game to speed onto Apple Arcade.
Photo: Supergonk

It’s not enough that Apple Arcade’s latest racing game includes quad-rotor racers zooming around a track, players can also teleport to find shortcuts. Warp Drive – Teleport Racing launched Friday for iPhone, Mac and more.

Apple TV app now available on dozens more Sony TV models

By •

Sony TV with Apple TV+
Coming now to a Sony TV near you.
Photo: Sony

The Apple TV app, which includes Apple TV+ and iTunes, is now available on Sony television sets from 2020, 2019, and high-end 2018 models. Sony initially introduced the Apple TV app to its XH90 (X900H) TV model in October. However, it has now greatly expanded this rollout to cover a large number of its other television models.

In addition to Sony TVs, the Apple TV app is available on certain LG and Samsung TVs, Amazon Fire, Vizio, Roku TVs, and games consoles. That’s in addition to its availability on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV set-top boxes.

Russo brothers’ next movie Cherry debuts on Apple TV+ March 12

By •

Cherry novel
Could this be the first Apple TV+ movie to win an Oscar?
Photo: Alfred A. Knopf

Cherry, a movie starring Tom Holland and Ciara Bravo, and directed by Avengers: Endgame helmers the Russo brothers, will debut on Apple TV+ on March 12.

A break from the Russo’s typical blockbuster fare (Endgame is the highest grossing movie of all time), Cherry is described by Vanity Fair as a “smaller, more intimate” movie, based on the bestselling 2018 novel of the same name by Nico Walker. This already has the makings of one of Apple TV+’s biggest hits of 2021.

iPhone 12 Pro components cost surprisingly little

By •

iPhone 12 Pro parts cost shockingly little
The sum of iPhone 12 Pro parts cost is less than half the price of the product.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The iPhone 12 Pro starts at $999, but the components for this high-end smartphone cost less than half the selling price. Market researchers disassembled Apple’s latest top-tier handset to ascertain its parts cost.

And they figured out that only a tiny percentage of the device is actually made is China.