HomePod will launch in December, but supplies will be constrained. Photo: Apple
Apple’s early software for the HomePod continues to reveal new features of the smart speaker, as developers dive deeper into files. After details on the speaker’s screen got discovered, another developer unearthed the UI sounds that will be used on HomePod.
The Nerve Black messenger bag by booq delivers some serious attitude. Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac
Best List: Nerve Black messenger bag by booq
Most messenger bags would look out of place slung over the shoulder of a leather-clad Harley rider. Not the Nerve Black by booq: It exhibits a transcendent cool, whether paired with a business suit or motorcycle chaps.
There’s no cowhide on this bag. Yet the water-repellent tarpaulin flap looks a lot like leather and makes a striking first impression.
These Bluetooth earbuds include with a charging case that can revive them up to 7 times. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Wireless Bluetooth earbuds are basically the ultimate in convenience for listening to music. Unfortunately, their one weak point is the constant need for recharging. Even with improving battery lives, running out of juice is a problem worth avoiding.
There are still a lot of unanswered questions about the HomePod speaker Apple announced at WWDC last month. But thanks to the firmware that was released to developers on Friday, we now know a little bit more about its internal hardware.
You can use third-party apps to load podcasts on your Apple Watch. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
A lot of people who enjoy listening to podcasts or music while jogging will agree that it’s inconvenient to carry an iPhone. While music lovers can sync playlists from their iPhone to their Apple Watch, Apple’s Podcast app doesn’t do the same for podcasts.
That’s unfortunate. However, it’s simple to send podcasts to Apple Watch using third-party apps.
We could be waiting a long time for iPhone 8. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Code confirming the existence of Apple’s infrared facial recognition technology has been discovered by intrepid developer-turned-iOS sleuth Steve Troughton-Smith.
Troughton-Smith discovered the code in the HomePod firmware Apple released late last week. It suggests that previous reports about face unlocking on the iPhone 8, possibly as a replacement for Touch ID, may be accurate.
Is this Apple Watch clone worth it's $26,900 asking price? Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
This Apple Watch clone costs more than an Apple Watch Edition, but comes with zero apps. The H. Moser Swiss Alp Watch Zzzz might look like it’s straight outta Cupertino, but it’s actually an old-fashioned luxury timepiece.
Would you pay $26,900 for an Apple Watch clone without all the smart functionality? See our video review for more on this completely bonkers Swiss watch.
Learn the ins and outs of developing for iOS 11 by building 20 working apps. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
iOS 11 is fast approaching. Along with it are coming a whole host of improvements and entirely new features. That means developers have to catch up before Apple’s latest and greatest mobile operating system drops this fall.
The flashlight mode on an iPhone helped the photographer light the simulated workspace of European astronaut Paolo Nespoli. Photo: Alessandro Barteletti
We’ve all used the iPhone flashlight to shine on a keyhole or search for change dropped in a dark room. Alessandro Barteletti used his to land a cover picture for National Geographic.
Barteletti’s photo of an astronaut training in a Soyuz launch simulator graces this month’s cover of the Italian edition of the venerable publication.
Podcasting is undergoing a renaissance with listeners consuming on-demand shows at unprecedented levels, and creators enjoying surprising levels of success with their work. One thing that sets apart the amateurs from the professionals is good content, but the other is production values.
I have been running my own small podcast for about a year, trying different ideas and formats to see what works. While I’m an amateur podcaster, I create tutorial videos for a living and I used to be a professional musician, so I know a thing or two about sound, music, and music production. I have also been using a Mac since 1997, and have recorded audio with just about every port that Apple has released. For me, the podcast is a great outlet to cover topics I don’t get to cover in my paid writing work. And of course, like many other podcasters, I like the sound of my own voice.
Here are some of the things I’ve learned, along with recommendations on the hardware, software and techniques to get you started podcasting using your Mac.
You won’t be able to stop grooving. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
If you’re looking for a way to lose a few hours later today, you could do a lot worse than Groovebox, a free music-making app for iPhone and iPad. It’s simple enough to start making music as soon as you launch it, but offers enough depth (and enough in-app purchases) to keep you going for quite a while.
When you share a photo via email, iMessage or most other apps, you also send the location of that image. No big deal, right? You’re only sending pictures to people you know anyway. But what about when you sell something on a site like Craigslist or eBay? If you don’t manually remove location data from your pictures, anyone can see where you took your photo, which is probably your home.
Right away, anyone can see where you live, and what you have at home. You still might not care, but if you do, here’s how to remove all that information before you send a photograph. (You’ll also learn about an interesting quirk in iMessage.)
iOS 11 Beta 4 brings a slew of new updates to the iPhone and iPad. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
iOS 11 beta 4 was rolled out to developers Monday. Alongside the usual bug fixes you’d expect in a beta release, it brings some nice changes and surprises we did not anticipate. Find out what’s new in the video below.
The Photos app in macOS High Sierra comes packed with great new features. Photo: Cult of Mac
In macOS High Sierra, the built-in Photos app packs some great new tools as well as lots of small improvements. It brings better organization, new editing tools (like selective color and curves), and extended integration with third-party apps.
Check out all the new features and improvements in Apple’s Photos app.
It's time to make the iPhone exciting again. Photo: @YSR50
This week on The CultCast: Why Apple’s making an iPhone Pro, a tech-packed cutting-edge phone that will showcase what Cupertino is capable of. Plus: Genius Bar jackpot! (Or, why Apple sometimes replaces your old, broken gear for a brand new model.) And stick around for a super-powerful electric long board, a HomeKit-enabled ceiling fan, and a pro-level keyboard case for your iPad Pro in an all-new Under Review.
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code “CultCast” at checkout to get 10 percent off any hosting plan.
Outfit your Apple Watch Series 4 with our best bands guide! Photo: OleksynPrannyk
A wristwatch is so much more than a means to tell time these days. It’s also the opportunity to accessorize and bump up one’s style with a unique, wonderfully constructed strap.
Heeding the call to individual style is OleksynPrannyk’s made-to-order and ultra-sharp Double Tour Apple Watch Band — the reasonably priced alternative to the ridiculously priced Hermès band. The Double Tour and all of OleksynPrannyk’s bands are completely customizable with more than five adapter colors and 14 thread colors from which to choose.
Best yet, the entire collection is available now in Cult of Mac’s Watch Store. Trust me, you will love this band.
You vacation photos are useless if you forget about them. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
It used to be that when you got back from vacation, you’d drop your film off at the lab and cross your fingers. You hoped you’d get some half-decent photos back a week later, while memories of that cool restaurant you liked faded with your tan.
Now we share our photos with friends and family while we’re still on the beach, then forget about them. But we can, and probably should, make a little effort to preserve our vacation memories. And — you guessed it — there are apps for that.
This sleek minidrone packs a bunch of big features into its tiny frame. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Drones are awesome. However, they can also be big, complicated and expensive. The Fader Stealth Drone proves they can also be small, sleek and simple to use. Plus it looks like something straight out of Mission: Impossible.
Apple rolled out its latest iOS 10.3.3 update on Wednesday, and you should install it as quickly as possible if you haven’t already.
This release fixes a serious vulnerability in the Wi-Fi chips used in iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, which allows an attacker to remotely take control of your device over a wireless network.
Siri gets a lot of love in the latest iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra updates. Photo: Cult of Mac
Siri often gets dinged for being stupid, but significant upgrades in iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra make Apple’s AI assistant smarter than ever. With advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence, Siri sounds slicker and understands you better on Apple’s updated platforms.
Siri also learned a lot of new tricks, and can now offer suggestions inside other apps. Here’s a brief look at everything new with Siri in iOS 11.
Downloading music is just one way to save a lot of data when you travel. Photo: Cult of Mac
Your mobile data plan takes a hammering when you travel. All the stuff you usually do while sitting in bed using your home Wi-Fi — like reading Cult of Mac and viewing cute capybara GIFs — will eat through your monthly allowance. And that’s before you get to the extra use of maps and Google to find your way around.
Today on Tech Travel Tips, we’ll look at ways to stop your iPhone and iPad from using up all your data in the first few days of your vacation.
Sony devices have fingerprint-scanning power buttons. Photo: Sony
We’re all wondering where Apple will place Touch ID on the iPhone 8, with the physical Home button set to disappear in favor of a larger display. The latest report indicates it could be embedded in the handset’s power button on its right side.
Apps can make your trip safer and easier. Photo: TripMode
At home, you can pretty much trust your own Wi-Fi network, and you kind of have to trust your cellular provider. But as soon as you fetch up at a hotel, airport, Airbnb rental or coffee shop, you risk everything.
Short of leaving your MacBook or iPhone out on the table while you visit the bathroom at a hacker conference, using public Wi-Fi is just about the worst thing you can do with your devices when you travel. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself — and they’re cheap and easy.