Apple built its trillion-dollar reputation delivering beautiful hardware that turned tedious tasks into magical experiences. But, a recent string of ridiculous bugs put Cupertino in a precarious position: If Apple doesn’t stop the screw-ups, it could permanently sully its good name.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Learn how to track package deliveries on iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch. Check out our Gift Giving Guides and get your holiday shopping out of the way now! Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

Getting a Mac is just the first step. To get the most out of your new machine, you’ll want the right apps and peripherals. So we’ve gathered five of the best extras for any Mac. That includes a port expander, portable powerstrip, Apple Mail and iTunes replacements, and a WiFi ‘heat mapper’. Everything is discounted by 25 percent or more, read on for more details:

Apple marketing guru Phil Schiller has heard the haters saying the iPhone X wasn’t the first smartphone to get facial recognition. But according to Schiller, that doesn’t matter at all.

“They all stink,” says Schiller in a new interview discussing Apple’s new facial recognition feature. The wide-ranging interview touches on everything from AirPods to virtual reality, but what sets Face ID apart is what got Schiller the most excited.

Apple is adding another key weapon to its war chest in the battle against Spotify, based on a new report that claims the company plans to acquire the app Shazam.

The popular app helps users identify any song, TV show or movie in seconds just by listening to it via a smartphone’s microphone. iOS integrated Siri with Shazam a few years ago, but it appears that Apple’s looking to bring the entire operation in-house.

Lightning cables are the most boring part of your iPhone or iPad kit, but one of the most essential. After all, without one your iPhone won’t last much longer than a day. Apple’s cables prove adequate, but we wouldn’t recommend buying one as a replacement or a spare. You can find several better (and cheaper) options for charging your iDevices. Here are our picks for the best Lightning cables.

The New York Times best-selling author Tim Ferriss is widely regarded as one of today’s leading productivity gurus. His latest book, Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice From the Best in the World, just dropped, and it’s full of great pointers for people looking to make the most out of their time and energy. To mark the book’s release, we’re sharing this giveaway of top-shelf Apple tech.

There are three chances to win, and entry is free. Read on for details on the three awesome bundles of Apple gear you could win.

Immersive 360-degree photos and videos are a spectacular way to showcase your best adventures… until you need to edit them. But now that’s easier than ever, thanks to VeeR Editor, the world’s first 360-degree photo and video editor for iOS.

If you love Legos and the clicky feeling of using a mechanical keyboard then prepare to meet the keyboard of your dreams.

Lego master builder Jason Allemann revealed his latest creation today that transforms an old school mechanical keyboard into a fully customizable Lego creation. The Lego keyboard uses a Cooler Master Quick Fire Rapid keyboard as a base and replaces the frame and keys using 3D printed Cherry MX Lego compatible keycaps.

Take a closer look:

Why bother with basic backpacks when you can buy one oozing with tech designed to make life a whole lot easier. Meet Novel, a new generation of bags that come packing everything you need on the road in the modern age.

One of the most exciting features in new iPhones is its specialized support for augmented reality. So for developers, that means a whole new era of interactive and immersive content. But it also means learning the ins and outs of ARKit in iOS 11 and Swift 4.

Apple’s TV app is finally expanding its reach to new markets. Starting today, it is available in the U.K., France, and Germany, bringing all your favorite content providers together in one place.

Apple suppliers claim that, having enjoyed a surge in orders for the iPhone X in September and October, orders are now starting to decline.

According to sources in Apple’s supply chain, orders weakened in November, and are dropping even further this month. Shipments for Q1 are reportedly around 30 percent lower than previously forecast.

This week on The CultCast, we reveal not five, not 10, but 18 of the best gadgets of the year! Plus: The Amazon Prime Video is finally available for your Apple TV, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about iOS 11’s new Apple Pay Cash feature.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off any hosting plan.

Frequently reliable KGI Securities’ analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that all three of Apple’s 2018-era iPhones will pack more powerful batteries, while two will take advantage of the redesigned L-shaped battery created for the iPhone X.

Tim Cook personally sent Steve Wozniak an iPhone X, Apple’s latest commercial and critical smash hit. Woz’s ringing endorsement of the flagship iPhone? “It works fine, but it’s not what I would want.”

Ouch!

A huge vulnerability within Apple’s HomeKit software has been discovered that potentially could have allowed attackers to gain access to smart accessories like locks and garage doors.

The zero-day vulnerability was reportedly patched by Apple within the last few days but certainly shows that HomeKit might be quite as secure as some users think.

 It’s no iPhone X, but the iPhone 7 remains a remarkably good phone. This week, you can snap up a refurbished iPhone 7 at the lowest price yet.

That’s not the only winner in this week’s roundup of the best Apple deals, either. We found a big bargain on a tiny iPad, plus a hot deal on an iPhone X case and a handy (and free!) iOS app. If you’re on the hunt for a studio display refurbished, don’t miss this great deal on a refurbished iPad 7.

The iPhone remains the most popular camera among Flickr users.

More than half of its community used an Apple device to shoot their photos in 2017. The iPhone accounted for nine of the top ten devices, with just one DSLR making the list.

Wired earbuds still sound better than similarly priced wireless earbuds, plus they don’t usually require charging. But the wires are a big enough pain that going wireless is a one-way trip. Never again will you have to untangle your earbuds to listen to a podcast in bed. You won’t have to put up with rustling cables as you walk, or suffer having earbuds ripped out when the wire catches on your hand.

But not all wireless earbuds are worth the switch. And there are also several big differences in style and function that you should consider. Here, then, is your guide to the best wireless earbuds around.

Novation’s fantastic Launchpad app for iOS just got a massive update, with a whole new interface, and a great new in-app-purchase which unlocks all its features for just $15.

Newton, creator of what is arguably the best mail app on iOS, now has a beautiful new calendar app. Newton Calendar was designed to be lightweight and gorgeous. It re-imagines what a mobile calendar should look like, and it makes managing your day a piece of cake.

Want your smartphone of the future to look like the Ghost of iPhone Past? If so, this case is for you. It makes even Apple’s latest, greatest iPhone X look like the device that started this whole crazy smartphone thing.

You’re going to love this one if you’re a keyboard-shortcut user. And if you’re not, then this tip might be the thing that finally converts you. Did you know that you can quickly search across all open Safari tabs on all your devices, just by hitting a key-combo and then typing?

Instagram users may soon get a second app dedicated solely to messaging other people on Instagram.

The new direct messaging app is called Direct and could be Instagram’s first move towards removing messaging from the main photo-sharing app.

LG Display hasn’t yet agreed a deal to produce future OLED displays for the iPhone, but one is definitely on the way. And, from the sound of things, it’s getting a whole lot closer.