If your family owns several devices, it is important to own a good charging solution to ensure you can quickly and simultaneously top up everything. I typically relied on power bricks — despite them not being the best for the job. But then I switched to the Acefast Z4 218W power station, a sleek-looking, four-in-one charging station that pumps out plenty of power.

Read my Acefast Z4 218W power station review to learn why this capable accessory deserves a spot on your desk, thanks to an ideal mix of style and substance.

The CEO of Sonos threw cold water on hopes that the speaker-maker would replace its much-maligned new application with the previous version. Turns out that would make the problem worse.

Sonos users will instead have to wait for the new app to be improved — a process the company promises it’s working on as quickly as it can.

Going nine rounds with your snooze button every morning? If you aren’t waking well, you might not be sleeping well, either. The Go2sleep 3 sleep-tracking ring provides a comfortable and inexpensive way to learn about what’s going on with your body while you’re off in dreamland.

The AI-powered sleep tracker identifies patterns in your sleep and gives you insights into what you can do to rest easier. You can get one of these advanced sleep-tracking rings for just $98.99.

You can get rich topographical hiking maps of local trails and U.S. national parks on your iPhone, right in Apple Maps. New in iOS 18, you can build custom routes connecting walking paths and save them to your device for offline access.

You can use this feature to plan a hike as a day trip. Planning your route in advance could save you the hassle of getting lost without a signal — or keep you from starting an overly ambitious hike.

According to Apple, the update comes with data for “all 63 U.S. national parks.” In my testing, Apple Maps showed a thorough knowledge of the trails in northeastern and Appalachian Ohio, too. It could contain detailed trail data about your local park as well.

Here’s how to make the most out of the new hiking maps in iOS 18.

Apple is now giving customers an additional 15 days to renew AppleCare+ coverage for their Apple devices after the plan initially expires. The company silently increased the timeframe from 30 days to 45 days.

However, the change only applies to selected EU countries, the US, the UK, and select other markets.

Beware, Apple leakers: The hoaxer who created a fake Apple invite for the iPhone 16 event says he’ll probably try to pull off a similar prank in the future. Lorenzo, a 14-year-old video editor from Italy, says he created the bogus invite in about 10 minutes out of boredom when he was sick. Then he sent the image to a known leaker — and watched as the fake document whipped up a frenzy in the Apple rumor mill.

“I feel like leaks can be boring sometimes so I want to spice it up,” he told Cult of Mac in a direct message. “Maybe by putting more effort into making a good concept next time.”

Right now you can take your pick on great deals on M2 and M3 MacBook Air models at Amazon — including up to $250 off some choices. Select from the deals below to get your dream machine, each powered with an M2 or M3 chip.

A supposedly leaked Apple invite for the iPhone 16 event looks like a well-executed hoax. The date, the event title and even the fake invite’s color palette seemed to confirm previous leaks about Apple’s upcoming iPhone lineup. However, a video editor who goes by Lore claims he created the invite as a prank.

“Fun fact: i made the ‘leaked’ Apple Event invite in less than 10 minutes using figma and an Ai generated texture and i sent it to the leaker just because i was bored,” Lore wrote Tuesday on X.

In a message to Cult of Mac, Lore confirmed that he created the bogus invite mainly because he was “sick and had nothing to do.” Read Cult of Mac’s interview with the 14-year-old Italian video editor who fooled the internet with his fake iPhone 16 invite.

xMEMS Labs, creators of all-silicon micro speakers for earbuds and headphones, plan to roll out the xMEMS XMC-2400 µCooling chip, the company said Tuesday. It noted the 1mm xMEMS fan on a chip is the first all-silicon, active micro-cooling fan for smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.

“Our revolutionary µCooling ‘fan-on-a-chip’ design comes at a critical time in mobile computing,” said Joseph Jiang, xMEMS CEO and co-founder. “Thermal management in ultra-mobile devices, which are beginning to run even more processor-intensive AI applications, is a massive challenge for manufacturers and consumers. Until XMC-2400, there’s been no active-cooling solution because the devices are so small and thin.”

The company declined to comment on whether it’s in talks with Apple as a client or partner with the new innovation. See our Q&A with xMEMS Labs below.

After years of waiting, there’s finally a travel hub that can handle a USB-C external display. And the EZQuest USB-C Slim Gen 2 Hub Adapter 6-in-1 can charge a computer while connecting it to up to four other accessories. Plus it’s small enough to go anywhere.

I tested the hub and am really quite pleased, though it does get a bit warmer than I like.

The Thetis FIDO2 Security Key works as a two-factor authenticator, password manager and more, and you can get three of these cybersecurity devices for just $64.99.

Apple will reportedly manufacture the iPhone 16 Pro within weeks of its global launch at its manufacturing facilities in India. This will give the company’s manufacturing efforts a major push in the country.

So far, the Cupertino giant has only manufactured non-Pro iPhones in India.

Apple released watchOS 10.6.1 and tvOS 17.6.1 on Monday, a pair of “bug fix” patches for Apple Watch and Apple TV that offer no new features.

New versions of iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1 from two weeks ago went out at the same time, but don’t appear to be available for most models.

As an alternative to using the Apple Podcasts app, as of Monday anyone can browse, hear, sync and share Apple Podcasts in 170 countries on all major web browsers, including Safari, Chrome, Edge and Firefox.

So now Apple Podcasts joins the likes of Podbay and Podurama in offering its own online player for anyone on any platform.

To celebrate the U.S. National Park Service hitting its 108th birthday, Apple will donate $10 for purchases made in its retail stores or online store this week to the National Park Foundation.

This has become an annual tradition for the iPhone-maker.

To the delight of their many fans like me, the Garvey women of Ireland will return soon in Bad Sisters season two, Apple TV+ said Monday. The streamer offered a “first look” photograph along with scant plot details. The darkly comedic drama’s creator and star, Sharon Horgan, returns with her close-knit fictional siblings on November 13.

But with one abusive husband down in season one of Bad Sisters, what new nemesis will emerge in the sophomore season? From the sound of it, two years after they took care of that problem in white-knuckle fashion, it could be them against everybody. Because they’re not in the clear yet.

The dual-camera system in the two basic iPhone models is an unnecessary complication. The iPhone’s secondary Ultra Wide camera simply doesn’t get used enough to justify building it into a handset.

Apple should focus entirely on the primary camera — the only one most people ever use. The iPhone’s Ultra Wide camera just adds unnecessary bulk and expense.

As the seasonal ads on TVs everywhere ask, are you ready for some football? The Apple Sports app certainly is, having launched full support Monday for real-time scores and stats for the onrushing NFL and college football seasons. They kick off with pro preseason play now underway and the first college games starting August 24.

Classic keyboard designs continue to reign supreme in computer setups, but a split keyboard makes for a more ergonomically healthy choice. Some split keebs look just a little different than a regular keyboard. But some, like the one in today’s M2 Mac mini setup, look almost alien. This one has two completely separate halves that the user places on either side of a Magic Trackpad 2.

Apple’s latest promo will get new Apple Card users up to $300 in bonus Daily Cash. The company never before gave new Apple Card users such a high welcome bonus.

Apple is running this offer for select U.S. customers. To be eligible for the cashback, you must sign up for the card through the promo link.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Who cranked up production in the Apple rumor mill? We talk through the latest ones on this week’s show, and some of them sound pretty wild. Fresh details about the iPhone 16 Pro’s new camera button make it sound very cool. A rumored bigger iMac sounds very exciting. And an Apple skunkworks project — a $1,000-plus device that puts an iPad on a rotating robotic arm — sounds absolutely bizarre.

Also on The CultCast:

• What’s new in the latest iOS 18 beta.
• What to expect from upcoming iPads.
• Apple gets greedy with Patreon, and creators aren’t happy.
• And Erfon gives us a surprising update on his inexplicably water-damaged iPhone 15 Pro Max.

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.

A new buddy action comedy starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck is more popular than any film on streaming, according to a rating analysis firm. And The Instigators is more popular than any streaming series, too.

Meanwhile, three Apple TV+ series pull in plenty of viewers too, including the newly launched Bad Monkey.

Yes, you can get a good gaming monitor cheap.  Some gaming monitors will set you back, but you can get this great Dell SE2417HGX 24-inch Gaming Monitor on sale for just $89.99.

This monitor has a ton of great features: A high-res, anti-glare screen with a high refresh rate, anti-flicker technology and a matte finish. Why so cheap? It’s open box.

The Nix Mini 2 color-matching tool gives artists, designers, contractors and remodelers a quick and easy way to match any hue exactly. The tiny color sensor connects to an iPhone and reveals the precise shade of real-world objects. It even works with a special paint-matching app that can hook you up with products from major vendors.

It’s a powerful tool for matching paint or discovering the exact digital representation of a color. And for a limited time, you can snag one for less than $50 if you act quickly.

After receiving an ominous note from an Apple attorney, concept artist Antonio De Rosa is waiting to find out how, exactly, the company wants him to alter his photorealistic images that depict unreleased Apple products.

De Rosa said he wants to work with Apple to resolve the situation. But when asked what he thinks will happen if he doesn’t make changes to his Apple concept images, he sounded slightly intimidated by the powerful tech company.

“I don’t know,” De Rosa said in an email to Cult of Mac, “but honestly I don’t want to find out.”