Every M4 iPad Pro buyer should at least consider getting the Apple Magic Keyboard. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
There’s no better tablet to buy than an iPad. Apple overhauled the iPad Pro lineup this year with a slimmer new design, brighter displays, and a faster M4 chip.
I upgraded to the 11-inch iPad Pro from the M1 version earlier this year and could not be happier. This Black Friday, you should buy one, too, especially since the tablet is available with a big $150 discount.
For Black Friday, you can get some models of the fabulous iPad mini 7 at their lowest prices. Photo: Apple
If you want a full iPad experience in a super-portable design that’s comfortable to hold and use anywhere, iPad mini is the answer. And for Black Friday, Amazon just posted a combination of discount and coupon savings equalling $99.01 off the base tablet in all four colors — blue, purple, space gray and starlight. And you can also save on models with more storage. Needless to say, iPad mini 7 makes a stellar gift for a special someone.
Along with the seasonal Apple Pay campaign, Product (Red) collection purchases donate to the cause anytime. Photo: Apple
Apple said it will once again run its annual charitable giving campaign coinciding with World AIDS Day on December 1. And that gives holiday shoppers an opportunity to easily contribute to global health efforts while making their seasonal purchases. In addition, purchases from Apple’s Product (Red) collection contribute to the cause anytime.
We’re never going to see an Apple-branded TV. AI image: Imagen 3/Cult of Mac
Apple is reportedly considering making a television set, but don’t get your hopes up. There are simply too many reasons why Apple won’t make a TV. Like so many things, it all comes down to profits (and the lack thereof).
You need look no further than Apple’s set-top box and monitors to see why an Apple-branded television isn’t going to happen.
The show's first season scored a perfect 100% Fresh critical rating on Rottentomatoes.com. Photo: Apple TV+
In a big win for Apple TV+, the French-American-Japanese series Drops of God captured the prestigious International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series at a ceremony Monday night in New York, according to reports late Monday and Tuesday.
The win strengthens Apple TV+’s growing reputation for delivering compelling international content and marks another successful adaptation of popular manga for the streaming platform. Fans will be excited to know thatDrops of God Season 2 is set to return, promising even more gripping storytelling.
Apple Music now has a karaoke feature for singing along. Image: Ronyyz/Wikimedia Commons, D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Apple Music has a karaoke mode for people who love to sing along as they listen. Apple Music Sing lets you turn down the lyrics so you can karaoke to your favorite hits with just one tap.
In fact, I’m using it right now to listen to some of my favorite music without the lyrics distracting me from reading and writing. Let me show you how it works!
Use these iPhone travel tips every time you hit the road or the skies. Photo: Unsplash
When traveling internationally with your iPhone, staying connected and avoiding unexpected surprises can be a bit of a balancing act. Whether it’s navigating unfamiliar streets, keeping in touch with family, or ensuring you don’t get hit with outrageous roaming fees, a little preparation goes a long way. Here’s how you can improve your iPhone use while traveling internationally.
Get a charging cable that's longer, softer and more durable than Apple's. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
On the hunt for a replacement cable for your iPhone or iPad? The Flexi Pro is a sturdy USB-A to USB-C silicone cable that comes in two lengths: 6 feet or 10 feet. And right now, the 6-footer is on sale for just $12.99 (regularly $19.99). Or you can get the 10-footer for just $2 more.
Now you can temporarily share the location of your lost bag with your airline. Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
Apple added Share Item Location to the Find My app to let AirTag users securely share with an airline the exact position of a tracking tag attached to lost luggage.
Here’s how to use the new feature to show an airline employee that your bag is actually just outside Concourse C in the Atlanta airport, not in Denver where they think it is. They can even see the exact position of the luggage.
2025 iPhone 17 series could comer with a redesign. Image: Apple Hub/X
Apple could make big design changes to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max next year. One such change would be the surprising decision to ditch the Pro models’ titanium edges for aluminum.
A new report also suggests the Pro models will switch to an aluminum camera bump, replacing the current 3D glass design. If you’re curious aboutwhen will iPhone 17 be released, early reports indicate Apple’s design choices will make this generation stand out.
iPhone 17 Air could be insanely thin. Image: Apple Hub/X
Apple’s upcomingiPhone 17 Air could be even thinner than initially rumored. A new report on Monday details many of the slim iPhone’s features, revealing several design compromises Apple would make for thinness.
This includes ditching the SIM slot and switching to eSIM, even in units sold outside the US.
Apple Watch makes for a good fitness tracker underwater. Photo: Apple
If your Apple Watch feels like it’s not responding to your taps, it could be in Water Lock mode. It’s easy to forget to turn off Water Lock Mode after you go for a swim or a shower.
There’s also a bit of confusion about how Apple Watch’s Water Lock feature works. Read on to see how to (and how not to) use it.
Apple salutes “amazing apps that users love” with the finalists for the App Store Awards. Image: Apple
Apple named the finalists Monday for its annual App Store Awards. These awards honor “exceptional user experience, design, and innovation,” according to the Mac-maker. App awards come in a range of categories, like iPhone App of the Year, Mac Game of the Year, and many more.
The nominations aren’t just kudos for developers — they’re a great way for users to find high-quality software.
You can see the user's HyperX microphone and Corsair gaming mouse in this photo. Photo: [email protected]
Today’s M4 Mac mini user was once devoted to MacBook Pro. And he still owns two of the laptops, for work and personal use, but he recently added a new M4 Pro Mac mini, and he absolutely loves it. He’s into gaming, so he added cool gaming peripherals like a mechanical keyboard and microphone from HyperX and a light-and-speedy mouse from Corsair. Check them out, along with all the rest of the setup’s gear, below.
Put your best face forward with this easy-to-use AI headshot generator. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
It’s tough to take a professional-looking headshot, whether for a job application or your LinkedIn profile. But an AI headshot generator can definitely make you shine. InstaGlam.ai taps artificial intelligence to create the glamorous headshots you don’t have the time or expertise to produce, and all it needs are a few selfies.
iOS 19 might not launch with all big features initially. Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
Apple reportedly will delay many of iOS 19’s bigger features until spring 2026. They will arrive eventually as part of iOS 19.4 instead of becoming available when the iPhone’s new operating system first drops in September 2025.
Apparently, the delay will affect “a larger-than-usual number of features.”
A major upgrade to AirPods Max is still a long way away. Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
Apple is not planning any major upgrades to AirPods Max anytime soon. The company plans to keep the headphones around in its current iteration for the “foreseeable future.”
Next year might bring an oddball iPhone. Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The rumored “iPhone 17 Air” supposedly will delete major features to become Apple’s thinnest smartphone ever — and sell at a premium price. We debate the pros and cons of such a scenario. Plus, Apple reportedly plans to make AirTags even better … and might be reconsidering making an actual TV set.
It’s a rumor-packed podcast!
Also on The CultCast:
We discuss the possibility of Apple selling SSD upgrades for Mac mini.
Apple slipped a surprise feature into the M4 MacBook Pro.
Image Playground produces some truly ridiculous images. See a sampling below. Is this the best Apple Intelligence can do?
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
This Apple Watch accessory works as a battery pack or a wired charger. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
When it comes to charging an Apple Watch, you typically have two choices: Use a wired charger that plugs into a power source or go with some sort of battery pack. This portable Apple Watch charger is different — it can do both. It comes with built-in USB-A and USB-C and USB-A cables so you can plug it into a computer or wall wart, and a 1,200mAh battery so you can use it to charge wirelessly wherever you go.
It’s ideal for anyone who’s always on the go and wants to keep their Apple Watch powered up without needing an outlet. At just $29.99, it’s a surprisingly capable Apple Watch charger. And it makes a great stocking stuffer for anyone who wears an Apple Watch!
iFixit's teardown gives us a look at the M4 MacBook Pro's internals. Photo: iFixit
Apple’s latest M4 MacBook Pro offers no improvements in repairability. This is unlike other devices that Apple launched this year, which focused on making repairs easier.
iFixit’s teardown of the M4 MacBook Pro also reveals that there are no internal design changes at all.
★★★★☆
This display can be the new centerpiece of your Mac setup. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Asus’ new ProArt 5K desktop monitor costs just half of what you’ll pay for Apple’s Studio Display but offers many of the same features. The Asus ProArt 5K PA27JCV boasts the same 27-inch screen, Retina resolution, standard framerate and P3 wide color gamut as Apple’s midrange monitor. It also comes with a built-in USB hub and KVM, which proves great if you still use a few USB-A accessories or flash drives.
Admittedly, Asus’ 5K desktop monitor misses some of the Studio Display’s premium features. The stand wobbles and the body is made of creaky plastic. Plus, the panel isn’t quite as bright as Apple’s display, and it doesn’t come with a webcam.
Still, with very similar specs — and a budget-friendly $799 list price, compared to the Studio Display’s $1,599 (or $1,999 if you dare to desire an adjustable stand) — Asus is making an offer that’s hard to refuse. Keep reading or watch our video review.
The best stylus for new Apple tablets: the M4 iPad Pro, the M3 iPad Air and M2 iPad Air, plus the iPad mini 7. We gave it the maximum rating in our hands-on review, and found that its pro features are worthy of the price.
Pros:
Advanced features like the new squeeze gesture, haptic feedback and support for hover.
Excellent for note-taking, image editing and artistic endeavors.
Surprise! Episode 3 of "Silo" season 2 comes early, starring Rebecca Ferguson. Photo: Apple TV+
Normally season-two episodes of hit Apple TV+ sci-fi series Silo air on Fridays, but Apple TV+ said it plans to move upcoming episode three to Wednesday, November 27, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend celebrated in the United States. As in the past, the streamer apparently makes that move to try to maximize viewership while people are home recovering from Turkey Day food comas.
And as many Apple TV+ watchers know, the streamer often posts new episodes the evening before the air date. So you might be able to watch it as early as Tuesday night.
The Obsbot Tiny 2 Lite webcam atop that Lenovo display features a CMOS sensor. Photo: [email protected]
Lots of folks who do live video streaming or video calls opt for purpose-built webcams rather than what comes in laptops or displays. That’s because the standalone cameras usually feature better-quality images and video plus more features in general. Today’s M4 Mac mini user fixes an Obsbot webcam atop his external Lenovo display. We rarely if ever see it, but it packs a lot of interesting features.