Gemini Live will get a lot more powerful on the iPhone. Photo: ChatGPT
Gemini Live gets better on the iPhone, with Google rolling out free camera and screen sharing support to all users.
The feature allows you to feed a live stream of your surroundings using the iPhone’s camera, and interact with Gemini to get more information about it.
The long, long wait ends. Fortnite is back in the App Store. Image: Epic Games/Cult of Mac
Fortnite can once again be installed on iPhones and iPads in the United States, developer Epic Games announced triumphantly on Tuesday. The very popular game is back in the U.S. App Store.
The change comes almost five years after Apple banned the battle royale game in a spat with Epic over in-app payments.
Apple hopes third-party developers will ramp up app development related to Apple Intelligence. Photo: Apple
Hoping to spur innovative software development, Apple plans a strategic move in the artificial intelligence space by allowing third-party developers to access its AI models, according to a new report.
The first Peanuts musical in more than three deades, Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical debuts in July. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+ will give Peanuts fans something to sing about this summer. Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical premieres July 18, 2025, marking the first musical special featuring Charles Schulz’s beloved characters in over three decades.
Marking Peanuts‘ 75th anniversary, the new special sees Snoopy and the gang bring summer camp nostalgia to life with original songs by Jeff Morrow and Ben Folds.
★★★★★
EarFun Tune Pro wireless noise-canceling headphones punch way above their weight, price-wise. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
“Budget” headphones keep getting better, and I’ve discovered a pair of over-ear wireless noise-canceling cans you can get for less than $70 that pretty much equal the excellent — and much pricier — Beats Studio Pro. In this EarFun Tune Pro headphones review, I’ll get into how they’re very nearly as good as Beats Studio Pro in every way that truly counts — sound quality, noise cancellation and comfort. And Tune Pro’s epic battery life blows away most headphones, full stop.
At launch, EarFun lists the cans for $89.99 marked down to $69.99, with a further 20% off coupon available on Amazon. That should make them about $56 at checkout before tax.
Get this refurb Sony speaker at a 46% discount with free shipping. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you’re still blasting playlists from your iPhone speaker, it’s time for an upgrade to a Bluetooth speaker like the Sony SRS-XB33. While most budget options promise “big sound” without actually delivering, this surprisingly affordable Sony speaker packs enough power, clarity and stamina to run the party.
Thanks to this speaker’s refurbished status, the price tag may actually be the most shocking part. If you don’t mind the fact that it had a previous owner, you can save 46% — dropping the price to just $79.99 with free shipping until they’re sold out.
Get secure cloud storage and more with FileRule, now on sale at 90% off! Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Let’s face it. Between iCloud photos, iMessage attachments and the dozen or so macOS Time Machine backups you swear you’ll clean out someday, Apple users run out of cloud storage fast. And if you’ve been getting those low storage notifications more than actual texts lately, it might be time for a smarter (and roomier) solution.
Meet FileRule, a cloud storage service offering a massive 2TB of space without the typical recurring cloud storage fees or subscriptions. Simply pay a one-time fee to score lifetime access to FileRule for just $69 (regularly $690).
A secret Apple project to make an AI chatbot is bearing fruit. Image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac
Some Apple executives reportedly think the AI-powered chatbot the company developed in-house is comparable to recent ChatGPT versions. And there’s internal pressure to connect the Siri voice assistant to it.
If true, this shows that while Apple isn’t at the forefront of AI, neither is it languishing at the back of the pack.
Can you guess which two monitors are Studio Displays? (Hint: The LG DualUp is on the left). Photo: [email protected]
Love it or hate it, the LG DualUp and its odd 16:18 aspect ratio — nearly square — has found a lot of fans among Mac users, including the owner of today’s M4 Mac mini setup with dual Studio Displays.
New hi-fi gear: WiiM Sound smart speaker paired with WiiM Amp Ultra. Photo: WiiM
WiiM, a rising star in the affordable audio streaming market, unveiled its first-ever smart speaker last week: WiiM Sound. It looks a lot like HomePod 2 and directly challenges it — and whatever version of it Apple releases next — with an impressive feature set.
WiiM Sound could appeal to audiophiles seeking high-resolution audio in a smart package — at a price that undercuts Apple’s.
Get blazing-fast connectivity with OWC's new Thunderbolt 5 dock. Photo: OWC
The new 11-in-1 OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock promises to maximize the potential of the latest Thunderbolt 5 technology for computers like M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro, OWC said Monday.
The dock, scheduled to begin shipping in July with a price tag of $329.99, is one of the first comprehensive Thunderbolt 5 solutions available for Apple users looking to expand their connectivity options.
You might not like iPhone 17 Air's rumored battery capacity. Photo: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac
Apple’s upcoming super-slim iPhone 17 Air could weigh just 5.11 ounces, according to a new leak. That would make it one of the lightest smartphones on the market. However, the phone’s thinness could come at the expense of battery life.
The leaker says the device will come with a paltry 2,800mAh battery. But Apple might tap new technology to make that tiny battery last longer than you would expect.
There's a lot Siri doesn't understand. And that's a problem. Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
Apple might allow users to replace Siri with another virtual assistant on iPhone, iPad and Mac, according to a new report.
While Apple’s smarter Siri will not arrive until at least next year, Apple users in the European Union might get something even better in the near future.
You may have to stick to your AirPods Pro 2 for another year. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
The wait for Apple’s next-gen AirPods Pro might stretch out longer than anticipated. According to a respected supply chain analyst, Apple won’t refresh its flagship earbuds until 2026.
Epic Games’ hope to get Fortnite reinstated on the U.S. iPhone App Store crashed and burned. Apple used a letter from one of its lawyers to deny the attempt to let iPhone users in the United States install and play the popular game. This is the latest clash in a long-running dispute between the two companies.
Epic claimed Friday that Apple had also blocked Fortnite in Europe, which Apple denies.
May 17, 1978: Steve Jobs’ first child, a daughter named Lisa Brennan-Jobs, is born. The child of the 23-year-old Apple co-founder and his high school girlfriend Chris-Ann Brennan, Lisa’s parents are no longer a couple when she comes into the world.
Several shameful years follow in which Jobs denies paternity of his daughter, before they eventually reconcile.
Your weekend should include watching Murderbot. You’ll be glad you did. Image: Apple TV+/Cult of Mac
The sci-fi action comedy Murderbot season 1 is the hottest show premiering this weekend. Apple TV+ turned an award-winning collection of novels into a series that’s fun to watch, with an enjoyable mix of laughs and fight sequences… with some suspense mixed in.
Here’s why you should tune in this weekend, whether you’ve read Martha Wells’ books or not.
In this setup, the user Velcros a Magic Keyboard to the side of the desk on the right -- just so they can reach the Touch ID button. Photo: [email protected]
It’s easy to get addicted to using Touch ID whenever you need to gain password-restricted access to anything. But not everyone is a big fan of Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (not the function, the keeb itself). Today’s MacBook Pro setup user found an odd but practical solution. They use a Keychron Q1 mechanical keyboard as a daily driver and Velcro a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID to the edge of the desk so they can reach the Touch ID button.
Sony's new XM6 headphones, mastered by engineers, are good enough for studio work, Sony said. Photo:
Sony’s newest flagship over-ear headphones, WH-1000XM6, promise the “best noise cancellation” in the industry and seamless wireless connectivity, the company said Thursday. The $450 cans — not cheap but less than AirPods Max’s $549 list price — should appeal to discerning Apple fans.
And Sony enlisted Post Malone as a pitchman for the new headphones, for what that’s worth. Hardly seems necessary, as this series of cans typically sits at or near the top of many best-headphones lists every year.
With this MacBook subscription plan, it's easy to stay ahead of the upgrade curve. Photo: Upgraded
If you rely on your MacBook to handle serious workloads — think 3D renders, Xcode builds or 200-tab research sessions — you know the right machine doesn’t come cheap. Luckily, you can finance MacBooks with Upgraded, a convenient upgrade program that makes it easy to get the exact laptop you need, when you need it … without paying thousands upfront.
With 0% interest financing over 36 months and the option to upgrade every 24 months, the subscription-based service is an ideal option for power users who want the latest Apple silicon without paying a fortune upfront.
★★★★☆
Find out why your iPad isn’t charging with this mini multimeter. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
With the StarTech.com USB-C Power Tester, you can easily look for charging problems in your setup. It’s a quick and easy way to ensure your devices are getting all the power they’re supposed to.
I tested the inexpensive little multimeter out. Here’s what I found.
Play all the classics with this handheld gaming console. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
You no longer need to hunt down an OG Game Boy Color on eBay to relive the good stuff. With this retro handheld game console, you can emulate 20 classic systems, including the Game Boy, the Sega Genesis and the Nintendo Entertainment System.
With a sharp 3.5-inch IPS display and a rechargeable battery, this pocket-size classic gaming console gives you a way to revisit your favorite retro titles anytime, anywhere, without having to bid against any other nostalgic gamers. Order one now for just $79.99 with free shipping (regularly $129).
Beginning this week, Xfinity customers can watch Sunday Night Soccer at no extra charge. Photo: Comcast
Xfinity customers can enjoy the action of Sunday Night Soccer for no extra charge starting this week. The show brings a weekly, featured Major League Soccer game throughout the season.
The same games are also available for Apple TV+ subscribers, as well as those with an MLS Season Pass from Apple.
Seenda's Creative keyboard and mouse combo is packed with style and color. Photo: Seenda
Two stylish new Seenda keyboard and mouse combos offer seamless compatibility with Mac, iPad and iOS devices, the company said Thursday. The premium SKM64-3 Bluetooth combo and budget-friendly Creative SK73-3 wireless combo both deliver style and functionality for Apple users seeking alternatives to Apple’s peripherals.
Is this a fair warning? Photo: Victor Maric/Cult of Mac
By E.U. law, Apple must let iPhone applications include payment systems other than Apple’s own. But in a move that seems calculated to convince customers and developers to avoid these alternatives, there’s now a “scare screen” on applications that do not offer Apple’s payment system in the European Union version of the App Store.