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Minix 4-port portable charger can power all your gear [Review]

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Minix Neo P2 review
The Minix Neo P2 can charge any MacBook at full speed. Or power up four devices at once.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

There are so many electronic devices scattered around our homes and offices that a multi-port charger makes sense. The Minix Neo P2 can share up to 100 watts of power with a MacBook, iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch all at the same time. Or it can charge your Mac at full power. Plus, the wall adapter is portable and can be used in power sockets around the world.

I used the accessory as my primacy charger for weeks to keep almost all my devices going. Here’s how it stood up in the real world.

Hyundai confirms it talked with Apple about car projects

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An Apple Car is supposedly in development, though it probably won‘t look anything like this.
Apple Car could be a collaboration between Apple and another carmaker.
Graphic: hatzfeld/Pixabay CC/Cult of Mac

Hyundai confirmed Thursday that it engaged in talks with Apple, lending more credibility to the possibility of an Apple Car co-developed with an established automotive company.

A spokesperson for Hyundai Motors provided the confirmation (which also mentioned Apple speaking with a “variety of global automakers”) to CNBC. The statement followed a report from Korean website Hankyung that claimed Apple was working with Hyundai on both the car and battery technology to power it.

Apple keeps bringing in Tesla execs for Apple Car

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That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Apple Car. The Apple Car is way down the highway. But Apple has the pedal to the metal.
The Apple Car is way down the highway. But Apple has the pedal to the metal.
Photo illustration: Cult of Mac/Wikipedia CC

Apple’s plan to make a self-driving vehicle is back on track, according to an unconfirmed report from a very reliable source. But the Apple Car won‘t be out for several years.

Still, as part of the effort the company recently snapped up Tesla’s head of autonomous vehicle software development  to work on the project.

4 useful things you can do with the Digital Crown on AirPods Max

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How to use the Digital Crown on AirPods Max
That little button does a lot more than you might think.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

AirPods Max are only the second Apple device to adopt Apple Watch’s brilliant Digital Crown. And you might be surprised by just how powerful that little button can be, from adjusting volume to controlling playback.

Here are four useful things you can do with the Digital Crown on AirPods Max.

5 ways AirPods Max let me down

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AirPods Max playing music on Spotify
AirPods Max are great for lots of genres of music, or for watching video content, but...
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

I love the idea of good-sounding, comfortable, high-quality headphones. And Apple’s new AirPods Max definitely check those boxes.

They offer great sound and they’re super-comfortable to wear, even for longer periods of time. On top of that, they pack all the things that make AirPods magical in a very premium package.

But even with those awesome features, AirPods Max aren’t for everyone, and that includes me. As much as I’ve loved my AirPods and AirPods Pro, these kind of let me down.

Apple Car would only need 2% of mobility market to equal iPhone revenue

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Making a car could produce a massive windfall for Apple.
Making a car could produce a massive windfall for Apple.
Photo: Possessed Photography/Unsplash CC

Apple would only need to capture 2% of the mobility market with a possible Apple Car to equal the revenue that it currently gets from the iPhone, according to Morgan Stanley researchers.

While that’s certainly easier said than done, it’s an interesting observation when considering Apple’s chances of turning its automotive plans into a potential financial windfall.

Elago Charging Tray for iPhone 12 makes MagSafe even better

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Elago Charging Tray for iPhone 12 MagSafe
Charging Tray Duo holds iPhone and Apple Watch.
Photo: Elago

Worried that snapping your MagSafe charger onto iPhone 12 will one day damage its glass? Elago’s awesome new Charging Tray solves that problem by being the ultimate MagSafe accessory.

Made entirely from soft and sturdy silicone, the Charging Tray holds your MagSafe charger to give iPhone 12 a place to rest while it’s being topped up. The Charging Tray Duo also makes space for Apple Watch.

Bag yours today from just $29.

Apple Glass AR glasses reportedly enter second phase of testing

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Apple Glass
Coming soon to a face near you?
Image: Jon Prosser/Front Page Tech

Prototype “Apple Glass” augmented reality glasses are reportedly set to enter the second phase of testing, Digitimes reported Wednesday.

The paywalled report cites “industry sources” but doesn’t reveal how many phases are involved in Apple’s testing of its AR glasses. However, since Digitimes’ sources are seemingly located predominantly in the supply chain, rather than inside Apple, this suggests that the long-rumored AR specs have moved beyond Cupertino’s initial internal mockups.

How to choose which HomePod listens to you when using two or more

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How to choose which HomePod listens to you
It's easier than you think.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Are you constantly being ignored by the HomePod that’s closest to you when asking Siri for assistance? Sadly, Apple doesn’t make it completely obvious how to manually specify which HomePod listens to you when you’re using more than one. But it is possible — and super-simple.

We’ll show you how.

Awesome macOS concept imagines the AR iMac of the future

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AR Mac
Could this be the Mac setup of tomorrow?
Photo: Dominik Hofacker

A designer’s radical new concept shows what future Macs could look like if augmented reality glasses replaced the computers’ physical screens.

Dominik Hofacker, a 24-year-old designer who just landed a job at Facebook, calls his well-thought-out virtual Mac concept “macOS reality.”

“With AR glasses on the verge of release, and eventually replacing our smartphones for almost all tasks, I asked myself, ‘How does productivity look like in the future?'” he told Cult of Mac. “GlassOS that runs on Apple Glasses is one thing, but nobody has ever thought about the next generation of Macs.”

Ugreen X-Kit cleverly combines MacBook stand with USB-C multiport hub [Review]

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Ugreen X-Kit review
The Ugreen X-Kit looks like an ordinary laptop standing, but it does much more.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Laptop stands make it easier to type as well as see what’s on your MacBook display. USB-C hubs make adding peripherals to your laptop a snap. The Ugreen X-Kit is both a display and a hub. Plus, it’s designed to be used on the go.

I tried out this combination stand/hub to see how well it works with Apple gear. Read on to see what I found out.

Expect exciting new MacBooks, iPad, Apple Watch and more in 2021

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Expect Apple 2021 to bring exciting new MacBooks, iPads, Apple Watch features.
There are outstanding improvements coming to many Apple product in 2021.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple broke new ground in 2020, and will build on that in many ways in 2021. It should be a really significant year for Mac. And iPad and Apple Watch are expected to get important new features as well.

Plus, this could be the year a product Apple has been quietly developing finally breaks out.

How to make your New Year’s resolutions stick with Apple Fitness+

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Time’s up for excuses - get in shape in 2021
Time’s up for excuses - get in shape in 2021
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Apple Fitness+ makes it easier than ever to get in shape. So you should have no problem smashing your New Year’s resolution. Right?

Wrong. The sad fact is, despite the best of intentions, most New Year’s resolutions fail. But it doesn’t have to be that way. I know from personal experience as someone who went from a middle-aged slob to the proud owner of six-pack abs for the first time in my life. Now I’m a qualified personal trainer and I write about fitness for Cult of Mac.

So what’s the secret? Why do some resolutions succeed where others fail? Here are my top five tips for how you can use Apple Fitness+ to get in shape in 2021 and stay that way.

Despite pandemic, 2020 was Apple’s best year ever [Year in Review]

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Apple products on a table
The big story for Apple in 2020, was, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo: Elena Mozhvilo/Unsplash

In spite of a devastating pandemic, a moribund economy, widespread unemployment, factory and store closures, and a workforce toiling from home, Apple in 2020 had one of its best years ever.

The company released a raft of new products, saw its stock soar, enjoyed a record valuation, made record amounts of money, experimented with virtual product launches and events, released great advertising, and mostly skated through government antitrust hearings.

The company even killed off a hated product feature, to widespread plaudits from fans.

Max Stand adds wireless charging to AirPods Max

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AirPods Max and Max Stand go great together.
Max Stand seems like something Apple should have thought of itself.
Photo: Floating Pixels

A small German design studio dreamed up an improvement to AirPods Max. The Max Stand from Floating Pixels holds Apple’s new over-the-ears headphones upright, making them easy to pick up and use. And it adds wireless charging, rather than requiring users to plug in a cable.

New features that absolutely should be in iPadOS 15 [Opinion]

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iPadOS 14 is good but iPadOS 15 just needs some new features to even better.
It’s not too soon to start an iPadOS 15 wishlist.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s developers are surely already thinking about iPadOS 15, and will almost certainly unveil it in June 2021. Considering iPadOS 14 was thin on exciting new features, it’s easy to look ahead. Here are some suggestions from a heavy iPad user of what the devs should have on their to-do list.

Innovative Apple Watch band lets runners monitor speed and heart rate at a glance [Review]

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EdgeGear Shift review: Seeing your Apple Watch while jogging is far easier with this Apple Watch band for runners.
Seeing your Apple Watch while running is far easier with the EdgeGear Shift.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The design of the wristwatch hasn’t changed in over 100 years, but EdgeGear has an alternative that makes it easier for runners to see their Apple Watch while on the go. The Shift is not like any band you’ve worn before, as the Watch is held near the base of your thumb, not in the middle of your wrist.

I took the EdgeGear Shift on a few runs, and can report on how it performed in the real world.

How to change Apple Watch app layout to a handy list [Pro tip]

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Change Apple Watch app layout from honeycomb grid to list view.
Get ready to say goodbye to the honeycomb app grid.
Photo: Daniel Cañibano/Unsplash CC

Pro-tip-4 By this point, the honeycomb app grid that debuted with the original Apple Watch must have fueled millions of frustrated app hunts.

That swirling sea of apps certainly looked innovative and magical during Apple’s demo in 2014. Apple called the unique interface “fluid and vital,” but in practice, the honeycomb grid often makes it difficult to find the particular app you want.

Luckily, Apple gave you another option. These days, there’s no need to suffer through the search for the app you want. You can easily switch to an alphabetical list view that makes it much easier to find Apple Watch apps.

AirPods Max condensation makes some owners sweat

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AirPods Max users complain of condensation inside headphones: Water collected inside one user’s AirPods Max ear cups after really extended wearing.
Water collected inside these AirPods Max ear cups after extended use.
Photo: Donald Filimon

Apple’s AirPods Max headphones are drawing complaints from some users after drops of water formed inside the earpads after extended use. Condensation is not an uncommon problem with over-the-ear headphones, though the metal ear cups and tight fit of the Apple version might increase the amount.