“What’s the point of a foldable phone?” That’s the question the Cult of Mac team was asking when Samsung confirmed its first is coming this year. But after seeing Xiaomi’s impressive foldable phone prototype, I really, really want one.
Check out the teaser video below and try telling me it doesn’t look awesome.
Updated AirPods are supposedly on their way in the first half of 2019, possibly bringing new health-monitoring functions to Apple’s wildly popular Bluetooth earbuds. The upgraded AirPods’ impressive new features are “expected to receive enthusiastic market responses,” according to the report.
With other companies, such as Google and Amazon, supposedly launching rival wireless earbuds this year, the move could keep Apple ahead of the curve when it comes to innovation.
Every MacBook Pro since 2016 harbors a hidden design flaw that inevitably will require an expensive repair, according to DIY repair website iFixit.
The problem supposedly lies in “delicate” ribbon cables that connect the screen with the display controller inside the main body of the laptop. Opening and closing the clamshell case eventually causes these to wear out and begin to tear, iFixit says.
The Dynamic Desktop is a great macOS Mojave feature. It changes the desktop image throughout the day, so your wallpaper always matches the time of day — nighttime images at night, shadowless glare at noon, and so on. Today we’ll see how to switch it on, and where to find new Dynamic Desktop images to add to the defaults.
Pixelmator Pro, one of the finest and more affordable alternatives to Photoshop, just got a big new update that adds a bunch of new features and improvements on macOS.
Image editors can take advantage of clipping masks, layer tags, quick opacity and blending controls, and more in version 1.3.
A new concept called the Mac Evo seeks to bring faster performance through liquid cooling. The computer would be just three times the size of Mac mini but offer greater speed by lowering the temperature of the processor.
The Intel chips Apple uses in its OS X computers often have to be throttled down to keep them from overheating. Liquid cooling is one solution.
What happens if you’re working on a document and you realize you screwed it up? Maybe you deleted a few paragraphs without realizing. Or you’ve just been writing a bunch of nonsense for the past half-hour and wish you could go back to where you were before? On the Mac, you can easily do just that. It’s called versions, and it’s automatic.
Using versions, you can easily browse and restore previous versions of any document. Some apps have this built in, so you can do it right there inside the app itself. But the Finder also supports versions, so you can revert to a previous state of almost anything.
The Dodocase Two Tone brings a retro look to iPad or iPad Pro. You could almost write “Trig” on the cover in Magic Marker and feel like you’re in high school again.
And this case is very lightweight while still doing double duty as a stand. There’s even an Apple Pencil holder.
The Dodocase Two Tone is available for a wide range of iOS tablets, including the 2018 iPad Pro models. Prices start at $64.95.
There are a bunch of reasons to remove the background from a photo. You might just hate the background — a perfect portrait ruined by crowds, or ugly construction work, or both. You may want to remove the background in order to extract the subject — maybe you’re doing some kind of Photoshop trick, or making a greetings card.
Whatever your reasons, it’s easy to do. Removing the background from an image used to be a nightmare. Now, you just need the right app. And if you’re a regular with our Cult of Mac photo how-tos, you probably have that app already.
Mac lovers looking for relief from Apple’s new butterfly keyboards may have found a new hero in the Keychron K1, which is supposedly the world’s slimmest mechanical keyboard ever.
The Keychron K1 looks like a hybrid of Apple’s Magic Keyboard crossed with a modern mechanical keyboard. It’s so small you can carry it anywhere and it looks so good you won’t be embarrassed to be hauling around your beloved keyboard.
Take a closer look:
Getting in shape takes time and motivation. Whether you’re trying to get fit, lose weight, or train for your next race, having the right tool can help you get the most out of each workout.
For some people, hitting the gym a couple times each week is all they need. For others, they need something to offer that extra push. Aaptiv is the trainer you need, right where it matters most.
This year’s iPhone refresh will bring big upgrades for some of the handset’s most important features, according to a new rumor.
One tipster claims that we can look forward to an even better camera with 3x optical zoom, a bigger battery, faster wireless charging, and a more responsive screen.
By Chris Brantner
We’re down to the four best teams in the NFL playoffs, and this weekend’s championship games are sure to be memorable. Whoever you’re rooting for, you can expect two phenomenal games — and you can watch all the action on your Apple devices.
The Touch Bar is one of Apple’s most controversial innovations of recent years. Located inconspicuously at the top of the MacBook Pro keyboard, where the function keys used to sit, some users ignore it altogether. Others actively hate it.
For pro users, like software developers, the lack of a physical escape key and function keys can be a real pain. And the Touch Bar’s touch-sensitivity makes it all too easy to trigger Siri by accident when you aim for the delete key.
But love it or loathe it, we’re stuck with the Touch Bar. Apple includes it on all its high-end laptops, without even offering function keys as a built-to-order option. So we might as well learn how to get the most out of it.
The good news is that once you get in touch with your Touch Bar, it turns out to have some genuinely useful time-saving features. Especially if you use apps that support it, like Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Office. Here are my top 40 Touch Bar tips.
Slack is everybody’s favorite way to waste time when they’re supposed to be working. And today, the biggest conversation in Slack chats everywhere is Slack’s hideous new logo.
It’s dull. It’s ugly. It has none of the personality of the original logo, and it doesn’t look like the Slack hashtag even if you squint at it hard.
If you’re on iOS, tough. You’re stuck with this awful new corporate abomination. But if you’re on the Mac, there’s good news: You can keep the old Slack app icon.
Step one is DON’T UPDATE THE SLACK APP YET!
Apple may have only debuted its latest iPads at the end of 2018, but it is reportedly gearing up to launch at least two more in the first half of 2019.
According to a new report, Apple touchscreen suppliers are expecting new “entry-level” iPads, including a new iPad mini and an upgrade on last year’s cheaper 9.7-inch iPad.
Tim Cook has called for “comprehensive federal privacy legislation” in the U.S. that would fight the “shadow economy” of data brokers. Cook’s comments were made in an op-ed for Time Magazine, published today.
This is just the latest example of Cook calling out companies which make their money trading in user data, often gathered without the full understanding of users of a particular service.
Apple clearly says its new battery cases aren’t compatible with the iPhone X but some users of that handset claim that they’ve gotten the two to work together.
The designs of new iPhone XS and older X are nearly identical and the 2017 model mostly fits in the Smart Battery Case. Nevertheless, the handset gets power only under some conditions.
You know how iOS’ accessibility features often prove handy for all users? Like Live Listen, which lets you turn your AirPods into remote listening devices? Or a combo of settings that resurrects an iPhone with a broken screen?
The same is true for Screen Time. This feature tracks how long you spend using apps every day, and can help you limit that time. But you can also use Screen Time to password-protect any app on your iPhone or iPad.
Apple’s stealth play to hype HomeKit devices at CES gave the home-automation platform a major boost.
A slew of new HomeKit-compatible devices are headed our way. From locks and TVs to blinds and video doorbells, they promise to make smart homes more exciting in the very near future.
Another small but significant reference to Apple’s long-awaited AirPower charging mat has been spotted this week, giving fans hope that the product is still in the pipeline after all.
AirPower is mentioned on an Apple product page for its new Smart Battery Case for iPhone XS. But what does it mean?
Did you know that you can watch any video in a floating window on your iPad? Of course you did. But did you also know that you can change the size of the window, and even dock it to the side of your screen? Maybe not! Today we’re going to check out how to use picture-in-picture on the iPad.
Check out Pad & Quill’s latest trio of gadget organizers. The Tech Folio, Tech Folio Mini, and Tech Folio Pro are variously-sized pouches with pockets, clips, and stretchy bands with which to wrangle and organize your cables and gadgets. Let’s take a look.
How can Apple’s streaming video service battle established competitors like Netflix? Simple: Buy a movie studio.
That’s the battle cry from certain Wall Street analysts, who suggest that Apple use its Scrooge McDuck-style cash pile to buy everything from Sony Pictures to Disney.
As sexy as that idea might sound on paper, however, in reality it would be a terrible idea. Here are three reasons why.
The Satechi Aluminum Type-C Mobile Pro Hub was designed specifically for the 2018 iPad Pro. It adds all the the most-useful ports to Apple’s latest tablet. With it, you can add headphones, an external monitor and other USB-A accessories. All in a tiny package.
Those who want even ports can choose instead this company’s slightly larger but still slim USB-C hub designed for laptops. This also works with the new iPad.
Don’t miss our hands-on review of the Satechi Alumiunium Type-C Mobile Pro Hub.