Help make iOS and iPadOS 14 more stable. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
If you’ve already updated to the iOS 14 or iPadOS 14 public betas, you have an opportunity to help ensure they are as stable as can be by the time they roll out to everyone this fall.
Found a bug? Report it to Apple to increase the chances of it being fixed in a future beta release. It’s quick and simple, and it will make using iPhone and iPad better for everyone.
Here’s how to file effective bug reports for iOS and iPadOS 14.
Make contacts and conversations easier to find. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
iOS 14 gives us the ability to “pin” important contacts and group chats inside the Messages app for the first time. Pinned conversations stay at the top of the list so they’re always easy to find.
Face ID on a MacBook could be a better fit than it is for iPhone or iPad. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
New evidence indicates that Apple will bring its Face ID biometric security system to Macs. The latest beta of macOS Big Sur reportedly contains code related to facial recognition.
A past KansasFest during less socially distanced times. Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac
Being a fan of the Apple II is a lonely hobby. While being an Apple lover in 2020 is more mainstream than ever, being an enthusiast for Apple’s first mass market computer — launched way back in 1977 — is significantly less common.
Unless it’s July 24-26, that is. Kicking off today, and running through the weekend, KansasFest is a conference dedicated to all things Apple II. And like every other conference this year, in 2020 it’s gone online only.
The SmartDesk 2 can turn your boring desk into a versatile workspace. Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
Until very recently, I never spent a lot of mental energy thinking about the desk I worked at. As long as there was enough space for whatever I was doing, and it wasn’t getting in the way, I was pretty flexible.
As I’ve started spending more time working and taking meetings from home, I have started to notice when certain “desks” don’t work as well. Sitting on the couch, standing at the bar in our kitchen, or working from the dining table are all OK from time to time, but none are particularly comfortable long-term. Some of this comes down to having a desk at the proper height, and some of it is the lack of flexibility I get in those situations.
That why, when the folks at Autonomous asked if I wanted to check out their SmartDesk 2 adjustable standing desk, I saw it as an opportunity to see if the hype about standing desks is all it’s cracked up to be.
Apple is definitely not neutral on going carbon neutral. (And neither are we.) Image: The CultCast
This week on The CultCast: Apple — and the company’s entire supply chain — will be 100% carbon neutral by 2030, pushing the world of tech toward big changes. Plus: A powerful iOS 14 privacy feature will be great for consumers, but might kill the billion-dollar online ad industry. We’ll also tell you about some exciting new podcast features coming to Spotify, and wrap up with our favorite new gadgets on an all-new Under Review.
Our thanks to NETGEAR for supporting this episode. The Orbi WiFi 6 router gives you ultra-fast speeds and wider coverage throughout your home — it’s the biggest revolution in Wi-Fi ever. Check it out today at Netgear.com/bestwifi.
The tiny Hyper Mirror transmitter sends high-speed video from your Mac to an external display. It can plug into a bulkier USB-C adapter. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The LikPok Hyper Mirror saves you the hassle of stringing wires between your computer and TV. It makes a wireless connection instead, using the extremely fast mmWave technology normally found in 5G networks rather than Wi-Fi.
Read on for the results of my tests with this replacement for HDMI cables.
Gorilla Glass Victus protects phones from drops and scratches better than ever before. Photo: Corning
Corning unveiled an improved version of Gorilla Glass on Thursday that it promises is much more scratch and shatter resistant than its predecessor. The new iteration, dubbed Victus, could lead to iPhones that survive both being dropped and being stuffed in a pocket with a set of a car keys.
Keep notes a secret on shared devices. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
You might be willing to share your iPhone’s passcode with other people, but what if you have sensitive notes you don’t want anyone else to see? Protect them with their own password.
Here’s how to secure individual notes on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Some browsers are better than others on older machines. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Got an old Mac that’s crawling to a halt every time you browse the web? It might not be your hardware that’s in need of a change. Before splashing out on new components, try switching browsers instead—or considerwhat to do with old MacBook to give it a new lease on life.
Dimpy Bhalotia's photos capture little slices of life from unusual angles. Photo: Dimpy Bhalotia
For nearly a decade, photographer Dimpy Bhalotia has been using iPhones to document captivating street scenes in luscious black and white. She’s used almost every model Apple ever released — and this week, she took home top honors in the prestigious iPhone Photography Awards.
Bhalotia, a full-time fine art street photographer based out of London, told Cult of Mac she loves shooting with an iPhone so much that it’s become second nature.
“It’s a lightweight butter slice always in my hand, which has the entire world in it,” she said. “It feels like I’m shooting with my palm.”
Take this simple precaution to keep your chats private. Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
Facebook Messenger’s new App Lock feature lets you add an extra layer of security to the popular chat app. iPhone and iPad users can switch on Face ID or Touch ID so they never need to worry about anybody seeing their messages.
The previously rumored feature, which Facebook rolled out for iOS devices Wednesday, is easy to enable. Plus, you can tweak a setting to make sure App Lock works ideally for you. Here’s all you need to do to turn on Face ID or Touch ID for Facebook Messenger.
Controller support has its problems, but it works if you use it right. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Recent Call of Duty: Mobile updates have made big improvements to game controller support, but it’s still not as seamless as it could be. You will often find yourself running into issues for no apparent reason.
Here’s everything you need to know about using a controller in CoD: Mobile — including how to get set up the right way with a PS4 or Xbox One controller to avoid common problems.
So, that's what's possible with an iPhone camera and a bit of imagination. Photo: Dimpy Bhalotia
The iPhone has transformed photography by giving everyone (well, everyone with an iPhone) a passably professional camera that they carry with them every moment of the day.
To celebrate all things iPhone photographic, the iPhone Photography Awards (IPPA) showcase the best snaps taken each year on an Apple handset. Here are some of the newly announced winners of the 2020 contest. They’re stunners.
If you thought the iPhone 11 Pro camera was impressive, you ain't seen nothing yet! Photo: Apple
The iPhone could get a special periscope camera lens in 2022, claims reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. This could offer significantly better optical zooms than are currently possible on an iPhone.
Elago’s wonderful AW6 case, which makes your AirPods look like an iPod Classic, is now available for AirPods Pro. It keeps your buds free from scratches and comes in white or black (with a red click wheel).
Start by installing the newest Messenger update. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Facebook Messenger recently received a handy update that lets iPhone and iPad users share their screens with other users. The feature supports up to 16 people, and we’ll show you how to use it.
Switch window sizes in an instant. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 don’t just bring picture-in-picture (PiP) to iPhone for the first time; they also make it possible to change the size of PiP windows on iPhone and iPad in an instant.
There are three PiP window sizes to choose from, and in this pro tip, we’ll show you how to switch between them.
Apple Park leads the way forward for sustainability. The rest of Apple's supply chain is following suit. Photo: Apple
Apple will become carbon neutral across its entire business and manufacturing chain by 2030, the company said Tuesday.
Cupertino’s global corporate operations are already carbon neutral. Now, the company promises that in 10 years’ time, “every Apple device sold will have net zero climate impact.”
An iPhone 12 concept video compares the sizes of the four four models expected. Photo: ConceptsiPhone
Apple is reportedly prepping no less than five upcoming iPhone models. A new concept video demonstrates every one of them, including the iPhone 12 series expected this autumn and the iPhone SE model supposedly launching in 2021.
Apple News Today is a news podcast with zero partisan rage. Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
Apple News Today, the breezy new podcast showcasing the day’s top news stories, sounds perfectly peppy and polished. Maybe too perfectly polished, in fact — you won’t find a single rough edge on this slickly produced daily news report, which Apple unleashed last week with iOS 13.6. You will endure no energized, partisan rants, either. These straight-down-the-middle reports won’t get your blood boiling while you make your morning coffee or tea. If you’re tired of partisanship, this is the antidote.
What you will find in the weekday audio show is steady promotion of the Apple News app, and of Apple News+, the company’s reportedly struggling subscription news service. This upbeat and earnest free daily news briefing basically functions as a Trojan horse for getting in the ears of potential Apple News+ subscribers.
You will definitely want to enable alerts from Cult of Mac. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
It’s unlikely you’ll miss much if you never open the Twitter app again, but there might be a few accounts you follow (like Cult of Mac’s, for instance) that provide worthwhile content you want to see.
It's super-simple. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
You might have assumed it was impossible to capture a CarPlay screenshot; there’s no option for it in CarPlay itself, after all. But not only is it possible, it’s also incredibly easy.
The medical mask emoji has way too much in common with the disappointed face emoji. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when wearing a face mask slows the spread of this disease, Apple really must change its medical mask emoji. It seems like a small tweak, but it’s important.
Currently, the face shown is unhappy about having to wear a mask. The design needs to show the person is glad to do their part.
This week's gigantic Twitter hack gives us the creeps. Image: The CultCast
This week on The CultCast: A massive Twitter hack has Apple pushing a bitcoin scam to millions! Plus: iOS 13.6 brings some cool new features to Apple News. And we’ll tell you the newest info on Apple Glass, while pondering the fate of Jon Prosser, the prolific Apple insider who vanished right after leaking details on the AR specs.
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.