Helly Hansen updates its resort jacket. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Best List: Helly Hansen Alpha 2.0 Jacket
This jacket delivers comfort, no matter the conditions.
They call it the “Classic Resort Jacket,” and if this means I can hit the frontside corduroy, and the backside snow bowl, and also sip hot toddies in the lodge without ever worrying about maintaining or regulating my temperature, then they nailed it.
There’s a lot of magic in that A9 chip. Photo: Apple
Many of this year’s high-end Androids will come with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 820 processor. It’s up to twice as fast as the Snapdragon 810 that powered many of last year’s flagships — but it still can’t beat the iPhone 6s.
According to tests carried out on GFXBench, Apple’s A9 processor outperforms Qualcomm’s best alternative — despite slower clock speeds and fewer cores.
When it comes to your Mac apps, there’s reason to fear a so-called man in the middle.
A security engineer is reporting several apps vulnerable to malicious coding through Sparkle, the third-party software framework apps use to receive updates. Some of the apps identified include versions of Camtasia, VLC, uTorrent, Sketch and DuetDisplay.
Add up to 128 gigs of Micro SD storage directly to your iDevice via Lightning or USB 3.0.
A gig sure isn’t what it used to be. Give it a few months and that capacious new iPhone of yours is going to be busting at the seams from too many bytes. Thankfully you don’t have to get a new phone, go on a data diet or even look to the cloud for help, just add up to 128 gigs of extra storage with Xtra’s Lightning Flash Drive. Right now you can get one for just $71.99, including a 16GB micro SD card.
Apple Stores in the U.S. are now offering machine-applied screen protectors for iPhone. The service, which uses a Belkin protectors and the ScreenCare+ applicator tool, starts at $18 and is available for iPhone 6 and up.
Want more Watch faces? Apple is working on it. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Apple is looking for new software engineers who can build new watch faces and complications for Apple Watch. A job listing found on its website all but confirms we’ll see a wider range of customization options in future watchOS updates.
The dreaded "Error 53" can turn an iPhone into a shiny brick. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Apple is in the midst of an all-new controversy, thanks to the mysterious “Error 53” message that is bricking iPhones without warning.
The problem can hit DIY types or anybody who has ever had a Touch ID sensor (or other iPhone hardware) replaced by a repair shop not authorized by Apple. When they update iOS, the device locks down, displaying the cryptic Error 53 message and rendering the iPhone virtually worthless.
Apple says Error 53 is actually a security feature of iOS 9 that keeps your personal information secure, but customers aren’t convinced. Cult of Mac talked to iPhone repair and and parts experts to find out what exactly is going on. The truth is that Error 53 has plagued many iPhone owners, not just those who have replaced Touch ID — and it’s not totally clear why.
Work behind a Mac all day? Be sure you're protecting your back, neck, and feet with these accessories. Photo: Luke Chesser/Unsplash
Sitting, or standing, in the correct position while working behind a Mac, or any computer, is incredibly important to your overall health — and ergonomic accessories can help. As I’ve come to learn over the past year, incorrect posture and bad ergonomics can result in back, neck and even foot injuries.
When I started struggling with neck and shoulder tightness, I never thought how I was working could be to blame, but after some back and forth with my doctors, the root of the problem had everything to do with my posture and how I was sitting and standing, particularly while working on my iMac or MacBook.
tvOS changes the default scrubbing behavior of your Siri Remote, and we couldn't be more glad. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Use the power of your voice to watch TV. That’s not something out of Star Trek, but the promise of Siri on the fourth-generation Apple TV.
Beyond basic commands to find your favorite TV shows and movies, you might not know how much Siri can actually do for you. But using Siri Apple TV voice commands will unlock loads of helpful features, including reading onscreen labels, getting more in-depth info about whatever you’re watching, navigating various screens, and even playing music on demand.
And it’s bound to get better yet, as the new tvOS beta is bringing Siri dictation to search fields and the App Store.
Here’s how to get the most out of Siri on your Apple TV.
If you need a place to plug in . . . Photo: Sean Nelson
Your next iPhone probably won’t have a headphone jack, and Sean Nelson is telling you to get over it. But he says so gently by offering iPhone fans a glimpse of what a jackless future might look like.
The industrial design student has drawn up one way Apple or any other third-party company might bridge the 3.5mm gap with a small Bluetooth headphone puck. Under Nelson’s concept, our soon-to-be-outdated headphones would plug into a small, clip-on disk.
A decent tripod and a few great apps can help you capture stunning light trails, motion blur, and low-light photos. Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor
Long-exposure photography lets you capture light trails, motion blur and better low-light shots. While the iPhone’s built-in Camera app doesn’t let you control shutter speed and light sensitivity, lots of apps do. Slow Shutter Cam is my favorite — here’s how I’ve used it to capture long exposures with nothing but my iPhone 6 and a tripod.
Priority makes owning a bike simple. Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac
Best List: Priority Bicycles Classic Diamond frame bike
When it comes to bicycles I am profoundly inept. Riding is fine. Just don’t ask me to fix it when it breaks.
My assembly and maintenance skills are so bad, the last time I reviewed a bike I put a critical piece on the wrong side and didn’t realize my error for weeks until someone finally pointed it out in pics.
So when the folks at Priority Bicycles told me they have a bike that pretty much never ever needs repairs, I couldn’t wait to saddle up and see how well it rides.
New Apple hardware in March? Party time! Photo: Kickboxer, Lionsgate
This week: New hardware, incoming! We’ll tell you our hardware expectations for Apple’s rumored March 2016 event, and there’s a lot to discuss. Plus: Why the next iPad Air could be the best one yet; iPhone 7 may have far fewer features than expected; and, is Apple making a move into virtual reality?
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to build a website that looks beautiful on any device that visits at Squarespace.com. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10 percent off.
Thin, light, and extra-grippy case will keep the Pencil in place. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Best List: CoverBuddy iPad Pro case by SwitchEasy
Keeping track of my Apple Pencil is a royal pain. Either I’ve got to slip it into a bag like an actual writing implement, carry it around in my pocket, or get one of those cases for my iPad Pro that adds a ton of bulk just to include a fabric loop to strap the Pencil in.
Not so the CoverBuddy case, an ultra-thin plastic sheath for the rear of the iPad Pro that includes something I wouldn’t expect from such a thin, light case: a secure spot for the Apple Pencil.
It’s simply the best minimalist pencil-holding cover I’ve seen yet.
Getting a broken home button on your iPhone 6 replaced may cause the entire device to become a worthless brick of metal and glass.
Thanks to a new feature in a software update recently pushed out by Apple, thousands of iPhone users who had their devices fixed by non-official repair shops have been greeted by a disastrous “error 53” message that locks the device — and even the Apple Store can’t bring it back from the dead.
Apple's new trade-in program won't discriminate against cracked iPhones. Photo: Faris Algosaibi/Flickr CC
Apple is rolling out several new programs in its retail store locations that will give credit for iPhones with pretty severe damage, according to a report. The program will allow customers with a cracked screen, damaged buttons or damaged cameras to trade in their faulty device without issue. Apple previously wouldn’t accept this kind of damage in its Reuse and Recycle trade-in program.
Juuk's stainless steel Revo wristband for the Apple Watch is a beauty. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
For nearly 20 years, watchmaker Eugene Ho has been making luxury timepieces for the likes of Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Timberland, Ecko and Reebok. Now he’s branched out on his own. His startup, Juuk (pronounced “juke”), makes beautiful, high-end bracelets for Apple Watches.
Juuk’s wristbands rival Cupertino’s aesthetics and quality — but cost half the price.
Amazon Echo adds Spotify to its bag of tricks. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Amazon’s Echo smart speaker just upped its music game, adding Spotify streaming to its ever-growing list of skills. Now playing your favorite artists and playlists is just a voice command away — at least if you’re a Spotify Premium subscriber.
Name your price to get five great apps for working with audio and video. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Nowadays we’re awash in audio and video, but working with either format can be a hassle. This bundle of five apps from Leawo Software makes it easy to capture, transfer, and edit almost any form of audio and video you’re likely to encounter, whether it’s from the web or a DVD. The best part though is that you can get the whole thing for whatever you’re willing to pay, and a portion of each dollar you spend will go to support the important work of Save the Children.
Apple TV's new app could give us the interface we've dreamed of. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
If you’re a cord cutter like a lot of us, you might be wondering how to get Super Bowl 50 up on your big screen at home without a cable subscription.
Luckily, if you live in the U.S., you’ve got it pretty easy. Even U.K. folks can stream it live (as long as they have a BBC account) on their iPads. If you live outside these two areas, though, you might need a little help.
Here’s how to get Super Bowl 50 on your Apple TV no matter where you live.
Keep an eye on your precious people, places and things with this great new monitor from Kodak. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Best List: CFH-V15 Video Monitor by Kodak
This new 350-degree pan and tilt home security camera from Kodak is the most amazing video monitor I’ve used, ever.
I’ve helped friends set up a few security cameras over the years, usually to keep an eye on their kids or pets, and the CFH-V15 blows all of them away with its ease of use, simple setup, and high-end video quality.
I sure wish I had one of these when my kids were young.
Excuse me, where's the trash? Photo: HahaBird/Imgur
We’ve seen old busted Macs get transformed into everything from aquariums to planters, but have you ever seen a Mac go from the dumpster to a trash can you can toss all your rubbish in?
One Redditor has created a trash can fit for Steve Jobs by taking a Macintosh that had been sitting in his attic for 15 years and giving it a second life as a receptacle for all his garbage, complete with a swinging door that looks just like a Mac display.
Don't let OS X windows take over your whole screen. Photo: Luke Chesser/Unsplash
It used to be that if you wanted to zoom any window on your Mac to see as much of the content inside it as possible, you’d hit OS X’s green button in the upper left of the window.
As of OS X Yosemite, the green button turned into a “full screen” trigger, zooming any window out to completely fill your Mac’s monitor.
If you hate that behavior, here’s an easy way to get the original zoom feature without the full screen.
Apple may not have shown much interest in diving into virtual reality over the past few years, but the director of Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab says the company has shown some intense interest in the space recently.
Speaking at a technology conference this week, Jeremy Bailenson revealed that Apple employees have become regulars in his lab recently — and they won’t say why.
Got a new iPhone? Set it up right. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
The iPhone 7 may not look that much different from the iPhone 6s, according to a new rumor claiming that Apple’s next smartphone will only feature two big design changes.