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J.D. Power names Apple Card No. 1 in customer satisfaction

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Apple card tops in customer satisfaction
The J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study named Apple Card the Best Co-Branded Credit Card for Customer Satisfaction with No Annual Fee.
Photo: Apple

For the fourth year running, Apple Card is tops in customer satisfaction, along with issuer Goldman Sachs, according to the 2024 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study by J.D. Power. They came out No. 1 in their segment, co-branded credit cards with no annual fee.

First third-party iPhone app marketplace drops its yearly subscription paywall

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AltStore website on iPhone
AltStore, the original alternative app marketplace, just opened its doors further.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

AltStore PAL, the first third-party app marketplace to launch in the EU, is dropping its subscription model and going free.

Until now, new users had to pay a yearly subscription fee of €1.50 with VAT. This allowed Riley Testut to cover the Core Technology Fee (CTE), which Apple charges from third-party EU app stores.

Sonos might revive its old app while fixing the new one

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Sonos logo on a Sonos speaker
The rollout of Sonos' new app has been nothing short of disastrous.
Photo: Jako Janse van Rensburg/Unsplash

Sonos’ new mobile app is so bad that the company is reportedly considering bringing back its old S2 app. The company released its revamped mobile app in May this year, just a few weeks before the Sonos Ace launched.

Since then, Sonos users have criticized the app for missing basic features.

Seeing (and hearing) may not be believing in psycho-thriller Disclaimer [Updated]

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Disclaimer trailer on Apple TV+
The teaser trailer doesn't tell us much.
Photo: Apple TV+

The enigmatic teaser trailer Apple TV+ dropped Wednesday for psychological thriller series Disclaimer, from Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón and starring Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline, disclaims very little beyond a dark and foreboding mood and a warning to “be aware” of the assumptions that color our understanding of a story.

The seven-episode limited series debuts on Apple TV+ October 11.

UPDATE: After publishing the initial post, I realized a clever deep fake appears to be in play in the trailer’s narration, so I thought I’d better mention it (better late than never!) It only took seven days after posting about the trailer for me to realize I knew the narrator’s voice. And it seems she never said what she seemed to say in the trailer. See below.

Apple’s next big thing is a tabletop iPad on a robot arm?

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AI-generated image of an iPad on a robotic arm, a rumored Apple device.
Surely, Apple's iPad-on-a-stick won't look like this AI-generated monstrosity. But you get the idea.
AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly ramping up work on a tabletop computer that’s essentially an iPad on a robot arm that can rotate and tilt the tablet to keep it facing the user.

This might be the source of previous rumors of a HomePod with a large screen.

No Apple Watch model can touch this one’s popularity

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Most popular Apple Watch model - Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9 takes the prize at the iPhone giant's top-selling wearble.
Image: Apple

A new study sheds light on which Apple Watch model consumers buy most — and least, and in between — Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) said Wednesday. Enthusiasts who assume the most popular Apple Watch model must be the biggest and best (Ultra 2) or the most cost-effective (SE2) miss the mark. They might be surprised that middle-market Series 9 takes the crown, followed by Series 8, which Apple no longer even sells.

How to spot fake AirPods

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Real ... or fake? How to tell if AirPods are fake.
Ensure your AirPods are the real deal.
Image: Cult of Mac

Fake AirPods are a bigger problem than you might think. With so many legit-looking AirPods clones floating around, it can prove difficult to spot counterfeit earbuds.

However, you can take several steps to see if the AirPods you are contemplating buying — or that you already bought — are genuine Apple products.

Apple opens iPhone’s NFC chip to third-party apps — for a fee

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Apple NFC secure payment
With iOS 18.1, developers will gain access to API enabling secure, in-app NFC payments.
Photo: Square

The introduction of NFC and Secure Element (SE) APIs in iOS 18.1 unlocks new monetization opportunities for iOS app developers, Apple said Wednesday — though fees apply. But on the plus side, secure in-app near-field communication (NFC) transactions in iOS 18.1 will let devs integrate secure, contactless transactions directly within their apps on iPhone, independent of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.

This iPad trick can end your Face ID woes

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Fix Face ID on iPad
If you think there's something wrong with Face ID on your iPad, it could be it's set to be too picky.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

I’ve read complaints online that Face ID on iPads is defective. I think what’s happening instead is that the biometric security system in Apple’s tablets has been set to be overly exacting. If it seems like Face ID is not working on your iPad, changing a single security setting can help.

I turned off the Require Attention setting on my iPad Pro and it made Face ID noticeably better. Presto, unlocking anything on my iPad became quick and easy. Previously, it felt like the computer was working to avoid giving me access.

Admittedly, changing this setting made my tablet a little bit less secure. But that’s a very small risk for a significant gain in usability. I recommend it to anyone who uses an iPad and thinks Face ID is not working properly.

New Apple video celebrates all athletes ahead of Paralympic Games

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Apple The Relay Paralympics video
In the fourth leg of "The Relay" race, a wheelchair racer takes on a runner in the 400m.
Photo: Apple

Ahead of the Paralympic Games in Paris, a new Apple video called ‘”The Relay” shows athletes with and without disabilities training and then competing together in a series of events. Each competitor shows the same drive, dedication and spirit — all with the help of Apple gear, of course.

“Apple products are designed for every athlete,” reads the video tagline. “And every body.”

Vivo mount lifts external displays and MacBook Pro together [Setups]

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Vivo Dual Monitor Mount
In this setup, one arm mounted on the desk handles the laptop and two external displays.
Photo: [email protected]

Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup belongs to a coder in Panama who uses two excellent stands to lift almost all of his gear off his desk. One’s a microphone arm doubling as a headphone stand. The other, more-substantial rig is a Vivo Dual Monitor Desk Mount that holds aloft two external displays and a MacBook Pro on a tray. That really tidies up the desk.

Ted Lasso creator spanks Bad Monkey in new comedy [Now streaming on Apple TV+]

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Bad Monkey trailer
Vince Vaughn stars in the new Apple TV+ comedy series "Bad Monkey."
Photo: Apple TV+

Curiously, a furry primate only shows up in glimpses in Wednesday’s new trailer for Bill Lawrence’s new Apple TV+ comedy series Bad Monkey. Not counting glib ex-detective Vince Vaughn, that is. Lawrence brought us vaunted comedy smash hit Ted Lasso, by the way.

The show, based on Carl Hiaasen’s New York Times-bestselling novel, debuts on Apple TV+ on August 14.

UPDATE: The new 10-episode comedy series Bad Monkey from Ted Lasso creator Bill Lawrence is now streaming on Apple TV+ as of Wednesday. Vince Vaughn stars as a disgraced Miami detective who might get his job back if he can just transport a severed arm from point A to point B, and maybe prove murder along the way. Reviews so far seem to like Vaughn in the wise-cracking role, with a few caveats. Time‘s review headline: “Bad Monkey Is a Beachy Crime Drama Drowning in Ted Lasso Quirk.” You can watch and decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

English Premier League turns to iPhone to track offside soccer players

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Soccer ball (football)
An array of iPhones will act as video assistant referees at soccer matches in England.
Photo: Markus Spiske/Pexels

Correctly determining when soccer players are offside turns out to be surprisingly difficult. And the English Premier League turned to an unusual source for a fix: an offside-detection system powered by dozens of iPhones.

The same system might someday be used to track players in other sports, too.

Ready for the fall semester? You will be with this deal on a refurb MacBook Air.

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refurbished Intel MacBook Air
Get a back-to-school Apple laptop at a back-to-school price.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Your old computer might have gasped its way through last semester, but if you’re getting ready for fall classes, it might be time for a machine that can handle more than two Chrome tabs. No, that doesn’t mean you must take your financial aid and hand it all over for a big fancy computer with a big fancy price tag. Instead, check out the specs on a refurbished Intel MacBook Air.

You can get this near-mint MacBook Air for just $449.99.

Instantly analyze more than 30,000 stocks with this easy-to-use app

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Instantly analyze more than 9000 stocks with this easy-to-use app, $20 off before prime Day.
Grab a discount on the Tykr stock screener and make the most of your investments.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Forget get-rich-quick schemes. The tried and tested way to grow real wealth is through smart investments. Unfortunately, not every investment proves as smart as buying AAPL when it first became the world’s most valuable publicly traded company way back in 2011. Thankfully, investing doesn’t need to be confusing — especially when you use a smart stock screener like Tykr.

The Tykr stock screener analyzes stocks for you and teaches you how and where to invest. Your first wise investment? Grabbing it before this deal expires. During this sale, you can get a lifetime subscription to Tykr for just $120 when you use code SAVENOW at checkout.

Apple Entrepreneur Camp welcomes applications (and it’s no longer just virtual)

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Apple Entrepreneur Camp welcomes applications
Applications for the fifth Apple Entrepreneur Camp are now open. And it will include in-person sessions for the first time.
Photo: Apple

Apple just opened applications for its fifth annual Entrepreneur Camp, and for the first time since it started in 2019, it will feature in-person sessions, Apple Developer said Tuesday. Until now it’s been all-virtual, mainly due to COVID-19 pandemic precautions.

Apple called the camp “a one-on-one, product-focused technology lab designed to empower underrepresented founders and developers, elevate their app-driven businesses and build dynamic communities.”

8 super-cool things you can do with iPhone Action button shortcuts

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What Else Can You Use It For?
The Action button opens a world of possibilities.
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can go beyond the basics if you customize the iPhone’s Action button with shortcuts. You can make a fart sound, or get ChatGPT to help you write an email, or just about anything else you dream up.

Apple lets you assign the iPhone’s Action button to one of eight preassigned things — but if you choose Shortcut, you can do much more. Shortcuts offer a way to reach inside an app and automatically run a feature without opening it. With the iPhone 16’s Action button, you have a physical button you can press no matter what you’re doing on your phone, adding quick access to custom actions.

Some power users use the Action button to do incredibly useful (or frivolous) things. I’ll show you how to do the same — and also how you can trick your phone into assigning two or more shortcuts to the single Action button.

This theory makes sense of those crazy iPhone 17 Slim rumors

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AI-generated image of
What will the "iPhone 17 Slim" look like?
AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

Leaks tell us Apple is prepping a super-slim version of next year’s iPhone 17 without all the features of the Pro models but with a price that’ll make it the most expensive in the lineup. These reports left many of us skeptical. Would anyone pay more for a slim-but-stripped-down iPhone?

But let’s change the rumor slightly — what if Apple is prepping a super-slim iOS handset that folds? If the recent leaks are actually about the iPhone 17 Fold, they make a lot more sense.

New Opera One browser for iOS brings AI with voice input, image generation

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Opera One browser for iOS
The new Opera One on iOS brings a raft of appealing features for iPhone users.
Photo: Opera

The Opera browser’s new mobile version for iPhone, dubbed Opera One for iOS, integrates artificial intelligence features like image generation and voice input, a free VPN for private browsing and other elements to offer a fresh alternative to pre-installed browsers on Apple devices like Safari, the company said Tuesday.

“Our research shows mobile phone users are six times more likely to be happy than not, after switching away from their system’s default browser,” said Jona Bolin, product manager at Opera. “So with Opera One for iOS, we want to further raise the bar and deliver a better browsing experience versus what users will find pre-installed.”

The Instigators is old-school action-comedy fun [3 Reasons to Watch]

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Hong Chau, Casey Affleck and Matt Damon in
Hong Chau, Casey Affleck go on the lam in The Instigators..
Photo: Apple TV+

New Apple TV+ action comedy The Instigators is getting a bad rap. The action-comedy about a Boston heist gone wrong, which stars Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, currently achieves a lackluster 41% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. But those critics are missing the point. The Instigators is an unpretentious buddy film that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

The critics who panned the movie apparently don’t know how to sit back and enjoy a fun flick. (The Instigators’ audience score sits at a much higher 71%.) Here are three reasons you should give this underappreciated action-comedy a stream on Apple TV+.

Master Excel and the rest of Microsoft Office with this discount training bundle

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Promo for The Ultimate Microsoft Office 2021/365 Training Bundle, which contains courses on Excel, Word and more.
Supercharge your workday with this affordable Microsoft Office training bundle
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If your resume says “proficient in Microsoft Office,” you better be able to back up that claim. Whether you’re in the job market or already landed a promising gig, make sure you know how to use the world’s most popular software suite. The Ultimate Microsoft Office 2021/365 Training Bundle consists of training in Excel, Word and more.

After all, there’s a lot more to Excel than just making simple spreadsheets, and there’s more to Word than blank documents and impossible-to-format images. This collection of seven courses brims with useful tips and tools for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Access. And for a limited time, you can grab it for the low price of just $39.99 (regularly $449).

iOS 18 beta 6: All the new features and changes

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iOS 18 beta 6: All the changes
iOS 18 is another beta closer to release.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Since WWDC24, Apple has released five developer beta builds of iOS 18 every two weeks. The company has now switched to a weekly beta release cycle. iOS 18 beta 6 is here, packing some minor changes as Apple focuses on squashing all the bugs.

You can find all the new features and minor enhancements in iOS 18 beta 6 below.

Find new music you’ll love with Apple Music’s Discovery Station

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Let’s Try Something… New?
New music — what a concept!
Image: Pedro Ribeiro Simões/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can find new music on the Apple Music Discovery Station, which gives you a tailored playlist to suggest new artists and jams you’ve never heard before but should like based on your personal musical tastes.

Personalized recommendations have long been a reason people cite for sticking with Spotify over Apple Music. But you can add the Discovery Station to my list of eight reasons you should make the switch. Apple Music offers personalized music picks, too, and the system works great.

I’ll show you where to find Apple Music’s Discovery Station and how to make the most of it.

SD card with amazing 8TB of storage coming from Western Digital/SanDisk

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An 8TB SanDisk SD card will probably look much like this.
An 8TB SanDisk SD card will probably look much like this.
Concept: SanDisk/Cult of Mac

Western Digital has been showing off its upcoming SD card with a whopping 8TB of storage capacity. And if that weren’t enough, the company’s SanDisk subsidiary is also prepping a tiny microSD card that can hold 4TB.

The days when a bulky external hard drive was necessary to carry around a huge collection of files are almost over.