Most users obsess about the main hardware they have in their computer setup, from computers to mechanical keyboards, but lighting plays a big role, too. After all, you have to be able to see what you’re doing without eye strain (and how better to snap pics and show off your rig on social media?). Today’s MacBook Pro user asked for lighting advice and got it, below.
With the fall edition of Amazon Prime Day falling on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, it’s a great time to nab yourself a coveted M3 MacBook Air. Discounts abound on both 15-inch and 13-inch models, with an array of specification choices. See the deal links below. Most of the deals cover all four colors — midnight, silver, space gray and starlight. And don’t miss our full guide to Apple deals for Prime Day.
UPDATE: On Wednesday we updated fluctuations in prices and color availability for various models, below. And though prices on some items fluctuate, Amazon has extended many deals beyond Wednesday.
While the third quarter of 2024 brought weak Mac shipments, Apple did well earlier in the year, and a return to growth is expected soon, according to a market-research firm.
Overall, the July-through-September period was anemic for the whole PC market, not just Apple.
If you use a desktop computer like Mac mini or you typically hunch over a MacBook or other laptop, it’s time to bring beautiful views to your computer setup with a big, bright external display. And with Amazon Prime Day in full swing July 16 and 17, you have plenty of Prime Day deals on external displays with 4K or 5K resolution to choose from. See below.
UPDATE: We first ran this post for July Prime Day, and now we’ve updated it with great external monitor deals for Prime Day October 8 – 9, including 24-inch 1080p displays and portable screens, too. And Wednesday saw more updates, like an even lower price on Studio Display with Standard Glass (more than $300 off!). And other deals below got sweeter, too. And though prices on some items fluctuate, Amazon has extended many deals beyond Wednesday.
For digital artists, illustrators and anyone with a passion for creating art, Paintstorm Studio is a versatile toolkit. With a lifetime license, you gain access to an intuitive, high-powered painting app for Mac and Windows, without the hassle of monthly subscriptions.
Designed for professional artists but priced for everyone, Paintstorm Studio is the only digital art software you’ll need. And right now, you can score a lifetime license for just $19.99 (down from $49) — no upgrades or pricey add-ons required.
★★★★☆
Opal Tadpole acts as a replacement for the webcam in your laptop or tablet. Clip the well-built gadget to an older MacBook and you’ll look better on video calls.
I tested one with multiple computers to see how Tadpole stands up in real world use — and whether it might make a good gift this holiday season.
Apple Pencil Pro boasts just about every feature an iPad user could want, and during Amazon Prime Day that includes a more affordable price. A discount knocks 25% off the cost, bringing it below $100 for the first time.
Alternatively, you can get a 15% off deal on the Apple Pencil (USB-C), or save 30% on the older Apple Pencil 2.
UPDATE: While Prime Day is over, these deals are not. Amazon actually improved them so these styli cost even less. Read on for the latest prices.
iOS 18 is getting a bunch of cool new accessibility features this year, including bringing eye tracking to the iPhone for the first time. You also can feel haptic music, control your phone with custom voice commands, use your phone in the car without suffering from motion sickness, and improve the accuracy of Siri and dictation.
Check out our video to see it in action or keep reading below.
The iPod music player, a product that was once the definition of tech coolness, rode off into the sunset on Tuesday. The last iPod nano and iPod shuffle models went on Apple’s list of obsolete products, which means the classic iPod lineup officially obsolete.
The music player that transformed Apple and the worldwide music culture will no longer be supported or serviced by Apple. It’s the end of an era.
The same is true for iPhone 6.
With Hurricane Milton taking aim at nearly the entire Gulf Coast of Florida, with a probable late Wednesday landfall, evacuees and others might want to make sure they download iOS 18 — specifically to get the new Messages via satellite capability.
That way, if power, Wi-Fi and cellular coverage all get knocked out, you can still communicate via satellite on your iPhone with family and friends. And of course you’ll also have the option of using the related Emergency SOS via satellite if you need to reach emergency services.
A U.S. federal judge ordered sweeping changes to Google Play, the default source for Android applications. Rival Android software marketplaces will get a big boost as a result.
While the iPhone App Store is similar, Apple’s and Google’s situations are different enough that iPhone users shouldn’t expect similar changes anytime soon. Long term? That’s a different story.
With Amazon Prime Day on October 8 and 9, power solutions provider Bluetti gets in on the savings action with exclusive deals on its portable solar power stations. With tons of power generators designed for outdoor enthusiasts, RV campers and home-backup needs, Bluetti’s lineup promises reliable power, anytime and anywhere.
And with these huge Prime Day savings, you can’t lose. Power up with Bluetti for amazing Prime Day savings.
Apple continues beta testing iOS 18.1 ahead of its potential public release on October 28. Besides Apple Intelligence, iOS 18.1 will pack several other changes and improvements.
Below is everything new in the latest iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 beta 6.
Apple made huge strides towards improving repairability with the iPhone 16. Sadly, despite getting a big internal redesign, the Apple Watch Series 10 is not as repair-friendly as the new iPhones.
A teardown from iFixit details the wearable’s innards and all the changes Apple made to slim down its design.
When it comes to Mac-centric computer setups, not every external display is Apple’s 6K Pro Display XDR or 5K Studio Display — far from it. And users’ choices come in various shapes and sizes. Today’s M1 Max MacBook Pro-using developer settled on a 34-inch Alienware curved ultra-wide monitor that hits his “sweet spot.” Find out why below. And don’t miss that nostalgia-inducing iPod Classic!
★★★★☆
As a longtime iPhone user — now with a new iPhone 16 Pro — I like to flirt with the idea of going naked, with no case at all. But then I usually wimp out and go minimal instead. Totallee has built its reputation on barely-there minimalism, so I thought I’d give the Totallee Super Thin Case, Clear Grip Case and tempered glass screen protector a try. And true to form, Totallee iPhone cases offer protection without bulk. To my surprise, I liked the thin case and screen protector combo the most. It just seems like my black titanium iPhone, but with more grip and added peace of mind.
An alleged unboxing video of the M4 MacBook Pro went live on YouTube over the weekend. The early hands-on, if real, shows that Apple’s next MacBook will pack impressive performance improvements over the M3 version.
The video supposedly reveals the M4 MacBook Pro’s specs, featuring a 10-core CPU, 16GB RAM, and an unchanged design but with a color twist.
The Samsung T9 SSD is quick and it’s very portable. Plus, for a short time, it’s up to 45% off. Opt for 1TB, 2TB or even 4TB of additional storage for your Mac or iPad.
For an even more affordable option, the older Samsung T7 series is available for as much as 44% off.
Apple’s big step into artificial intelligence is scheduled for this month, and a prediction from a generally reliable source may have just named the release date: October 28. This will reportedly be when new iOS, macOS and iPadOS versions usher in Apple Intelligence.
These AI capabilities were unveiled in June at the company’s developers conference and have been in public beta testing for weeks, so it’s now a waiting game for the full launch.
Apple’s next-gen M4 Macs will reportedly arrive November 1, rather than in October as is generally expected. A few days before that, the company supposedly plans to release iOS 18.1 with Apple Intelligence support.
The new Macs that will debut include M4 MacBook Pros, Mac mini, and an iMac.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: If Apple does host a big October event, M4 Macs and iPads likely will steal the show. We talk about what to expect from the upcoming Apple products.
Also on The CultCast:
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.
The Apple TV+ team-up between George Clooney and Brad Pitt hit number one on a ratings company’s popularity chart the first week the film is available to stream.
It’s not surprising: the two superstars could probably take the leads in Uncle Wiggly and the Runaway Cheese and it would be a hit.
Apple Intelligence makes its debut with 10 new features — and some of it is fantastic. Apple Intelligence has some genuinely impressive new features, and some of it will have a big impact on daily life.
Apple Intelligence is the name for Apple’s next-generation AI and machine learning-powered features that are coming to iPhone, iPad and Mac. These first 10 features are available in iOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 right now. Some of the biggest features like Visual Intelligence, Image Playground and the all-new Siri aren’t here (and might not ship for a while) but Apple has still managed to make a good first impression.
Here’s what you can expect. Keep reading or watch our video to see it in action.
When you need to convert a video to a different file format, what’s a quick, easy way to do it? Movavi’s free Online Video Converter. This incredibly intuitive tool makes the tedious task simple.
And if you need to convert really big video files, or edit them, Movavi’s desktop converter software can help. More than 70 million users in more than 190 countries enjoy software from Movavi, which turned 20 years old in 2024.
Find out how to use the free online video converter below.
Today’s setup comes from a user with two MacBooks and two external displays. They’re like to clean it up and make it more mininalistic, but they also want to add a new M2 iPad Air. So they did the sensible thing and asked social media. See how that went, below.