Apple has already improved performance and battery life once. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple has chosen its manufacturer for the next-generation Apple Watch and tasked the company with delivering better battery life, according to a new report.
Apple Watch Series 3 is also expected to bring improved performance, but its hardware is unlikely to come with any major changes.
AirPods should offer around 5 hours of use between charges. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
AirPods offer some of the best battery life you can get from wireless earphones, but many users have been unable to enjoy it. An apparent glitch is causing some units to drain power when they’re not in use, but a simple reset could fix it.
Each year at CES, tech's biggest players show off their latest, greatest gear. (Except for Apple, of course.) Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Just because Apple ignores CES, the gigantic electronics show that slams Las Vegas each January, doesn’t mean you should. If you’re interested in the next wave of tech innovation, the annual show should definitely be on your radar.
You won’t glimpse the next iPhone or the rumored Apple Car, but there’s plenty of great tech breakthroughs that should get you salivating over next week’s big event. Here’s a rundown of all the cool stuff we expect to see at CES 2017.
Get a full terabyte of secure cloud storage for life, and for pennies on the dollar. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Cloud storage is a key part of any solid data backup arrangement. Unfortunately, a spot in the cloud usually comes at a cost. That makes this offer from Zoolz a special one, presenting a full terabyte split between two secure storage options. And right now you can get a lifetime of Zoolz cloud storage for a mere $39 at Cult of Mac Deals.
'Appy new year everyone! Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Happy 2017 everyone! Facebook may have been last year’s most popular app, but there’s plenty more for you to explore in the App Store.
Check out our picks for the most exciting new apps of the week below. Whether you’re looking for a great game to usher in the New Year or something a bit more serious and useful, we’ve got you covered!
Secure your cellular and Wi-Fi connections with a lifetime of easy-to-use VPN protection. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
It’s the end of a rough year, so let’s ring in the new one with some extra great deals. Below you’ll find lifetime access to a powerful VPN, a secure and anonymous phone line, the latest version of multimedia super tool Roxio Toast, and a set of extra long, MFi certified Lightning cables. You can get each for an additional 17 percent off their already massively discounted price, just enter coupon code NEWYEAR17 at checkout (some exclusions apply) — the only catch is that you’ve got just 24 hours to do it. Read on for more details:
The ultimate companions for your iPhone. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
This year’s iPhone upgrade might have been a little dull, but we saw plenty of exciting accessories for Apple’s iconic smartphone in 2016.
From awesome new AirPods to ultraportable virtual reality headsets, they all helped make iPhone 7 more exciting. Here are our favorite iPhone accessories of the year.
Finally you can get a portable Bluetooth speaker that also brings the bass. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
The holidays and the year are almost over, but the great new deals at the Cult of Mac Store show no sign of stopping. This week, we’ve got a portable bluetooth speaker that also brings the bass, a critically acclaimed space sim, a set of sleek Bluetooth earbuds, and a mobile phone tripod that folds up to the size of a credit card. Read on for more details:
Thank Jobs, 2016 is finally over! Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
2016 sent Apple for a wild ride full of fantastic new products, crazy controversies and tons of extra drama with its rivals.
Tim Cook and his colleagues probably can’t wait to jump into 2017. But before we start looking toward Apple’s future, let’s take a quick look back at all the stories that made 2016 a year Apple fans will never forget.
ElevationLab created DraftTable because a steady drawing hands needs a steady stand for the iPad Pro. Photo: ElevationLab
Frank Lloyd Wright didn’t create innovative home designs by drawing from his couch. He sat at a drafting table, its surface supporting his paper at the angle of his choosing.
So what would he do with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil? He might try the new DraftTable by Portland, Oregon-based Elevation Lab.
This 5-lens kit will dramatically expand the photographic possibilities of any iPhone. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Getting an iPhone means every moment is a chance to snap great looking pictures. But as all photographers know, a great set of lenses is even more important than a great camera. With this set of 5 detachable lenses, you can instantly upgrade the photos your iPhone takes. And right now you can get the whole set of lenses for just $23.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.
2016 might have sucked overall, but not for games. Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
When it comes to games, Apple trails behind Microsoft and the broader PC market. Though Cupertino’s hardware often sports cutting-edge specs, the fact is that gaming was never really the intended use for Apple machines.
Why this is, and whether it should prevent top titles from gracing Mac screens, is enough for its own article. Luckily, things are changing: From sprawling strategy games to genre-bending first-person titles, 2016 gave Apple fans a harvest of great titles for Mac and iOS alike.
Nielsen's sample of the year's most popular apps. Photo: Nielsen
With 2016 coming to a close, Nielsen has ranked the year’s most popular mobile apps in the U.S. and — wouldn’t you know it! — Facebook takes the top two spots with its Facebook and Facebook Messenger apps.
Despite the growth of other social media services, Facebook saw growth of 14 percent from last year, with more than 146 million average unique users each month. Facebook Messenger also picked up over 129 million unique users every month.
Affordable first drones and our favorite gadgets on The CultCast! Photo: 3DR
This week on The CultCast: It’s our epic final episode of 2016! We’ll wrap up the year with our hands-on review of the hotness themselves, Apple’s AirPods. Then … is Apple’s “Golden Era” drawing to a close? We discuss. And finally, ya’ll know we review a lot of products during the year — we’ll reveal our absolute favorite gadgets of 2016!
AirPods are selling like hot cakes. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple manufacturing partner Inventec is planning to expand its AirPods production capacity to meet strong demand from consumers.
Impressive sales of the hot new wireless earphones over the holiday period are expected to give the Taiwanese firm a boost in revenue, but its plants are already working overtime to deliver Apple’s orders.
2016 wasn't all missed deadlines and mysterious battery problems for Apple. Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple pissed off a lot of people in 2016. In hindsight, some of Cupertino’s moves look clumsy, and others seem truly clueless, but Tim Cook and Co. also made some brilliant moves during this turbulent year.
Let’s go to our happy place and relive the smartest moves made by Apple in 2016.
It's really easy to crash other people's iPhones. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
A new nefarious text message has been discovered that has the power to completely crash iPhones, even those running the latest version of iOS 10.
Instead of using infected links or weird text like previous iMessage hacks, this new one allows attackers to disable a person’s Messages app by simply sending a large contact file. When iPhone users tap on the file, it’s so big and complicated that it overloads the CPU and crashes the app.
Get three years of protected, anonymous online activity at 70 percent off the usual rate. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Hopping onto the internet means being open to a range of cyber headaches, from identity theft to government snooping and even just annoying location restrictions on streaming media. One of the best steps you can take to avoid these problems is to connect via a virtual private network, or VPN. And right now with NoLimitVPN, you can get three years of a high speed, secure VPN for just $39.99.
Samsung's ready to take on AirPods. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Samsung is planning to take on Apple’s fancy new AirPods with its own wireless earbuds that will launch alongside the Galaxy S8, according to a new report.
It’s thought Samsung is unlikely to follow Apple’s decision to drop the 3.5mm headphone jack, but it will still push wireless alternatives as they become increasingly popular.
These are our favorites! Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Accessory makers churned out some awesome new gadgets for the iPad in 2016. From cases to Star Wars toys, loads of new gear came along to boost the capabilities of the world’s favorite tablets.
Whether for the Pro line or the less-powerful Air or mini models, these are the best iPad accessories of 2016.
There is another sticking point in Apple's India expansion. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple has a new demand for the Indian government as it barters about stepping up its investment in the country: getting rid of the detailed product information it is asked to print onto its devices — thereby cluttering its minimalist design.
Apple recently made the request to the country’s Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), which forwarded the message to the Department of Revenue and Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeITY) for consideration. No response has yet been issued.
Wistron will help build the iPhone 8. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple has added a third manufacturer to its stable for the 2017-era iPhone 8, according to a new report.
The newcomer? Wistron, which previously gained experience as an Apple supplier on secondary iPhone handsets such as the iPhone 5s and, reportedly, the iPhone SE. It will join established Apple suppliers Foxconn and Pegatron working on the next-gen tenth birthday iPhone, which will likely launch next September.
GameSir's M2 GamePad is the company's first iOS-dedicated hand controller. Photo: GameSir
It didn’t take Super Mario Run and its nearly 3 million downloads on day one in the iTunes Store to recognize how serious iOS users are about gaming.
App developers submit hundred of games each day to Apple for iTunes and with a dizzying number of iOS games available, there is an equally impressive number of accessories companies making gamepads for mobile games.
One, GameSir, will debut its first iOS-centric hand controls at next week’s CES in Las Vegas after five years of developing gamepads that have been well received among Android users.
This isn't your normal stress test. Photo: The Backyard Scientist
Apple’s iPhone empire has been made possible thanks to the magic of aluminum. But under certain circumstances, Jony Ive’s favorite metal can be the iPhone’s worst enemy.
The folks behind the YouTube channel Backyard Scientists decided to see what happens when you dunk the iPhone in molten aluminum. Seeing the iPhone get a Terminator 2 type of death is oddly beautiful.
Combo Cleaner includes a powerful antivirus tool backed up by a dedicated team of software specialists. Photo: RCS LT
This post is brought to you by RCS LT, maker of Combo Cleaner.
The vast majority of apps offering antivirus protection run on an open-source engine called Clam AV. It offers a convenient module that app developers can plug into their products for free and get passable antivirus protection.
Unfortunately, you often get what you pay for, which in this case is a subpar detection rate for malware and adware. That’s why a staff-maintained antivirus solution is a better idea.