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Get 1TB of cloud storage with this Google Drive alternative, just $70 for life

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Save 68% on a lifetime of 1TB of cloud storage with FolderFort, an affordable Google Drive alternative.
FolderFort is reliable, flexible and inexpensive (especially with this new deal).
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

FolderFort is an affordable alternative to Google Drive. And with this limited-time deal, this cloud storage service is even easier on your wallet. Right now, you can get 1TB of cloud storage with a lifetime FolderFort subscription for just $69.97 (regularly $251.64).

Unlike Google Drive, with FolderFort, you only pay once, and you’re set for life. And when it comes to pricing, there’s no comparison. Google Drive charges nearly half that much per year, for one-fifth the storage. And Apple One bundles — which admittedly add in things like Apple TV+ and Apple Music — cost even more.

Turn a string of Live Photos into an easily watchable, sharable video

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Save Live Photos as a Video
Turn your many, many cat photos into a few great videos.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can turn multiple Live Photos shot on your iPhone into a video. Simply select a group of Live Photos taken in a burst, and you can create a single, stitched-together video that you can save to your library and share on social media. It’s a much more accessible way to enjoy those little snippets of video. 

Here’s how it’s done.

New Mac Studio rig looks to legendary audio brand for big sound [Setups]

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Bowers & Wilkins MM1 speakers setup
The legendary Bowers & Wilkins figures into this Mac Studio setup's sound.
Photo: [email protected]

A big upgrade is a special occasion for any computer setup. And today’s featured M2 Max Mac Studio rig saw major changes recently, including a boost to audio quality courtesy of a legendary audio brand. Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 speakers joined the desktop mix.

Apple tries to ease California housing crisis close to home

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Apple Bay Area Housing Innovation fund
The Bay Area Housing Innovation Fund will make targeted, favorable loans to advance affordable housing development. The fund’s first project will break ground in San Francisco next week.
Image: Apple/David Baker Architects

A new Apple initiative addresses California’s housing-affordability crisis in the San Francisco Bay Area, the company said Wednesday. In partnership with the San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund, Sobrato Philanthropies and Destination: Home, Apple launched the Bay Area Housing Innovation Fund with an initial investment of $50 million.

The fund aims to accelerate affordable housing development by providing targeted, favorable loans to developers. It’s part of Apple’s larger $2.5 billion commitment to tackle housing affordability issues across the company’s home state.

How to run Linux and Windows on iPhone and iPad

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Windows XP On Your Phone
Now, the iPad is a real computer.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

With the recently-released PC emulator UTM SE, you can now emulate Windows on iPad directly. You can revisit old PC games, just like how you can use Delta to play old Nintendo games. You can also install Mac OS 9 or Linux. With Ubuntu, Debian or other versions of Linux, you can run all kinds of open-source software for getting real work or programming projects done.

But bad news: You can’t use it to run macOS Sonoma on your iPad. There’s some confusion about this, but unfortunately the long-held dream of turning your iPad into a Mac will have to wait for another day.

Setting it up is a little finicky — but the reward of seeing that classic Windows XP desktop on your iPad can make it all worth it. Keep reading to see how it works.

Apple details products eligible for sales tax holiday in 8 states

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Apple sales tax free holiday in 2024
For a limited time, save on sales tax on certain Apple products.
Photo: Apple

With eight states running sales tax holidays in coming weeks, Apple specified on Wednesday which of its products will qualify for tax-exempt status and in which states. The sale dates vary depending on the state, with the tax waiver helping consumers potentially save hundreds of dollars on Macs, iPads and Apple accessories.

Find out which states offer the discounts, and on what products, below.

These security cams let you monitor your home or business 24/7 from your iPhone

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cameras that connect to smartphones
With a camera that connects to your iPhone or other smartphone, you can keep tabs on your home or business.
Photo: Reolink

Cameras that beam still images and video to iPhones and other smartphones make it easy to keep tabs on your home or business from anywhere. Security cams, video doorbells and other types of cameras can connect to your phone, letting you view live footage 24/7.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by Reolink.
In this article, we’ll describe different types of security cameras that connect to your phone and recommend the best ones you can buy in 2024.

5 more secret iPhone gestures you need to know

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Secret Faster Gestures
These secret gestures will speed up your iPhone.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Here are a few secret tricks and gestures that will help you get around your iPhone faster. These hidden gestures help you text pictures to your friends faster, scroll through big pages and screens, type special characters and use your phone one-handed.

This is a follow-up to an earlier article with three other secret iPhone gestures you need to know. Learn all of these gestures and you’ll feel like an iPhone power user.

Guide a river to the sea in meditative new Roia game [Awesome Apps]

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Guide rivers to the sea in meditative new Roia game [Awesome Apps]
Playing Roia is a unique and relaxing experience.
Screenshot: Emoak/Cult of Mac
Awesome Apps

New game Roia challenges players to guide a river down a mountain by rearranging the terrain. It’s another unique premise from Emoak, a team of developers with a history of creating standout games.

I spent a couple of hours playing it on my iPhone, and found the game to be demanding but also relaxing. And not like anything I’ve played before.

Get the best Bluetti Prime Day deals on power stations and solar generators 

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Bluetti Prime Day deals
You can save a bundle on Bluetti portable power stations and solar generators for Amazon Prime Day.
Photo: Bluetti

This is traditionally the best time of year to buy portable power stations and solar generators for summer camping and hurricane preparedness. And now there’s another big reason to pull the trigger on a power purchase: Amazon Prime Day. Bluetti’s Prime Day deals on power stations, backup batteries and more mean you can assemble the perfect system for your needs — and save tons of money from July 16 to July 21.

Edifier W830NB noise-canceling headphones: Big features, small price tag [Review] ★★★★☆

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Edifier W830NB headphones review★★★★☆
If you only have $80 to spend, Edifier's new W830NB is a good choice. Shown here in "sandwhite," but also available in black and gray.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Looking for good Bluetooth headphones that won’t throttle your wallet? In this Edifier W830NB headphones review, I look at Edifier’s latest noise canceling set. They might just be your ticket to affordable listening.

Following up on its W820NB model, Edifier packs serious punch for the price in this $80 pair (or $63 for Amazon Prime Day!). Just don’t expect them to beat out top-shelf cans from the likes of Apple and Sony.

Apple takes back title as world’s most valuable company

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Apple takes back title as world’s most valuable company
Apple's market cap is way ahead of Microsoft and Nvidia.
Photo: Pixabay/Pexels CC

With a market capitalization above $3.6 trillion, Apple regained the title of world’s most valuable publicly traded company. The Mac-maker is valued well above Microsoft and Nvidia, both of which had been valued higher earlier this year.

A recent sharp rise in AAPL share value seems to indicate that investors are optimistic that a surge in iPhone sales is on the horizon.

Surprising choice of retro wireless speaker ‘gets the job done’ [Setups]

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Edifier desktop speaker setup
Did you know you can turn any computer setup "retro-cool" with the right choice of wireless speaker?
Photo: [email protected]

Today’s M3 MacBook Air setup features a retro-cool speaker unlike most you’ll see in workstations. When people look beyond the laptop for sound, the usual answer is bookshelf speakers. But the doctor who runs this MacBook Air and iPad Pro setup likes an unusual choice — an Edifier desktop speaker called the MP230.

HomePod mini goes to the dark side

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HomePod mini in midnight
Try not to be stunned by the new HomePod mini color option.
Photo: Apple

Apple just replaced the space gray HomePod mini with a new midnight color option. Monday’s change to the company’s smart speaker lineup is hardly monumental — you might not even be able to see the difference.

Still, the new midnight HomePod mini is also “green.” Apple made it using 100% recycled mesh fabric.

The first retro PC emulator for iPhone hits the App Store

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iPad running Windows XP.

Photo: Basic Apple Guy

The first PC emulator for iOS is now available on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and Vision Pro. Free app UTM SE allows you to run “classic software and old-school games.”

Apple first rejected the developer’s submission in June, citing a violation of the App Store Review Guidelines. However, Apple appears to have changed its stance regarding PC emulators on the App Store since then.

Forget pricey piano lessons. Learn to play at home with this AI-powered app.

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Skoove piano lessons app lets you learn how to play piano on by yourself.
Save on a lifetime subscription to Skoove’s virtual piano lessons.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It takes a lot more than wanting to be Billy Joel to become a piano player. You need passion, time, motivation and an excellent instructor (and, uh, a piano). But traditional piano lessons might not fit into your schedule. Plus, they can get expensive if you’re serious about learning. Luckily, if you buy a piano lesson app like Skoove, you can learn how to play piano by yourself.

Skoove lets you practice with hands-on piano lessons and AI software that listens to your playing. Get all this and more in a lifetime subscription for only $120 (regularly $300). That’s the lowest price found on the web! But you must use code SAVENOW by July 21 to get this price.

Bad news for Apple Watch, good news for iPhone/HomePod [The CultCast]

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The CultCast episode 655, with a black-and-white photo of a surprised young girl.
Which Apple rumor are you most surprised by?
Photo: Nathan Bingle/Unsplash License

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We dissect the latest Apple rumors, which go from incredible bummer (Apple Watch) to potential breakthroughs (iPhone and HomePod).

Also on The CultCast:

  • The latest iOS 18 beta brings some welcome new changes.
  • A teaser trailer and a release date get us psyched for season two of Severance.
  • Griffin tells us all about a keyboard with a peculiar name in a new Under Review segment.

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.

Delta all-in-one retro game emulator comes to iPad

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Delta all-in-one retro game emulator comes to iPad
You can play classics on your iPad like a giant Game Boy, or turn your tablet into a virtual arcade.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPad users, get your game on. The Delta retro game emulator that launched for iPhone in the spring is now out for Apple tablets, too.

The software can handle ROMs originally for the classic Game Boy plus NES, SNES, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS.

The iOS 18 Photos app needs some major tweaks

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The New Photos App
The new Photos app is divisive.
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

With the major Photos app redesign coming in iOS 18, Apple aims for simplicity. However, the version  of the Photos app in iOS 18 developer beta 3 is a hodge-podge of design that will confuse users. I think that if Apple doesn’t revise its approach, the company will face significant backlash when it releases the updated app to the public this fall.

Yes, iOS 18 is still in beta. And Apple very well could change the Photos app before its anticipated release in September. I certainly hope Apple tweaks things — I’m writing this as more of a wish list than a design critique. In fact, I already filed my suggestions through the official channel of Apple’s Feedback system (submitted as FB14289280).

As of iOS 18 developer beta 3, Apple has already made a few little tweaks to the Photos app redesign. But unfortunately, there’s been no movement on any of my major criticisms from beta 1. For that reason, I feel obligated to outline the goals of the new Photos app, applaud what it gets right, point out where the design fails, and explain what aspects prove confusing.

I don’t think Photos needs to be reverted entirely to the way it worked before. But these key features need changing ASAP. Keep reading or watch my video.

Price drop: Learn your dream languages with a lifetime subscription to Babbel

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Learn new languages for life with the award-winning Babbel.
Learn new languages for life with the award-winning Babbel.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you want to get more from your travels or boost your career opportunities, speaking an additional language is one of the most rewarding ways to do it. And the most convenient way to learn? With an award-winning language-learning app like Babbel.

The Babbel app teaches you a new language with short daily lessons that take only 10 or 15 minutes that you can take on your iPhone or Mac. Right now, you can grab a lifetime subscription to every single language on the app for only $139.97 (regularly $599). That’s a 76% discount on this incredible software, but this price drop only lasts until July 17.

How to check iPad battery health

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iPad Battery Health How To
Knowing your iPad battery health helps you decide when it's time for a new tablet.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Checking the health and maximum capacity of the battery in older iPad models isn’t as easy as it should be, but we can walk you through the process. Finding out how worn out the tablet’s battery is can help you decide if it’s time for a new model.

But for those who already upgraded to the latest iPad Pro or iPad Air, checking battery health is a snap.

iPhone and Apple Watch refurbs sale brings great bargains [Updated]

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iPhones and Apple Watches sale - iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini
In addition to iPhone 14 models, both iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are on sale.
Photo: Apple

For all the bargain hunters and late adopters out there, Woot just launched another iPhone and Apple Watch sale on great (but not new) gear. The big sale on Apple refurbs runs through July 31 at 10 p.m. Pacific. It’s your chance to grab refurbished models at great prices.

Woot calls it the “Big Value Little Price iPhones and Apple Watches.” The cheeky Amazon site says “now E.T. can phone home in style!”

Indeed, you can find refurbished iPhones in all shapes and sizes, including the discontinued iPhone mini. Same goes for Apple Watch. Don’t dally, though. One of the deals already sold out!