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Track heart rate and body temp with Sennheiser’s new sport earbuds

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Sennheiser-Momentum-Sport-earbuds-olive
With these you can keep track of your heart rate and temperature while exercising (or anytime).
Photo: Sennheiser

Sennheiser Momentum Sport wireless earbuds that track heart rate and body temperature finally started shipping this week after their big reveal in January at CES 2024.

Heart rate and body temperature sensors were expected in AirPods Pro (2nd generation), launched in September 2022, but didn’t end up in the product (yet).

How to quickly queue songs on Apple Music (and clear the queue)

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Play This One Next
Your phone can DJ for you.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can queue songs in Apple Music so that the tracks you want to hear play automatically, one after another. You don’t need to wait for the song to end and manually play the next one. 

I also have a pro tip for clearing the queue if you want to start over, because Apple Music doesn’t have an easy “clear” button on the iPhone. 

Plus, you can let friends add songs to the queue from their own phones — even if they don’t have an Apple Music subscription. Watch our video or keep reading below.

Apple provides temporary solution for Apple Watch ghost touch issues

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deep discount on Apple Watch 9
Apple Watch ghost touch issues are more widespread than initially believed.
Photo: D. Griffith Jones/Cult of Mac

Experiencing “ghost touch” problems on your Apple Watch, where the device responds to finger taps that never happened? You are not alone. Although the bug was initially limited to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, it appears to affect some older models, too.

Apple informed its service providers not to replace Apple Watch models plagued by the ghost touch bug. Instead, it has provided a temporary solution while the company works on a permanent software fix.

iOS 17.5 brings Apple’s new Quartiles word game

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Quartiles word game
This screenshot shows the new Quartiles word game in iOS 17.5 beta.
Photo: Gadget Hacks/Apple

iOS 17.5, iPadOS 17.5 and macOS 14.5 Sonoma, all currently in beta testing, feature a new word game called Quartiles, according to a new report. The game joins Apple News’ pair of daily crossword puzzles.

More iPhones are made in India than you might think

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More iPhones are made in India than you might think
China isn't the only country where iPhone is assembled.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Everyone knows iPhone is made in China, right? Well, yes and no. A new report indicates that as many as 14% of Apple handsets are actually produced in India.

It’s part of Apple’s plan to diversify where its products are assembled to reduce its dependence on China.

Here’s your one shot at lowest-ever price on Apple Watch 9

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Apple Watch 9 (Product) Red
It's a great deal, but you only have one option when it comes to size and color.
Photo: Apple

The good news is Apple Watch Series 9 just hit what we think is its lowest-ever price on Amazon. The bad news, depending on your preference, is you can only get it at the sale price in one size and one color: 41mm, (Product) Red with matching M/L band. But if you like that one option, this limited-time Apple Watch 9 lowest price deal can be yours for the remarkably low price of $399.00 $295.20.

Dual-display rig boasts speedy M3 and M2 MacBooks [Setups]

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M3 Max MacBook Pro setup
With an M2 MacBook Air and an M3 Max MacBook Pro from work, this setup is highly productive.
Photo: [email protected]

Who doesn’t love a good MacBook? Or maybe two MacBooks, like in today’s setup. The guy has his own M2 MacBook Air, a formidable machine. But he’s lucky enough to add to it an absolutely screaming M3 Max MacBook Pro courtesy of his employer. Nice perk, that.

He can also thank work for his second 4K display. But it doesn’t top his own.

New Matter-enabled motion and light sensor works with HomeKit

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Aqara Motion and Light Sensor P2 with box
Motion and light sensing are independent of each other with the P2 sensor.
Photo: Aqara

The new Thread- and Matter-enabled Aqara Motion and Light Sensor P2 came out Tuesday for use with HomeKit and other smart-home platforms, the company said.

“In the rapidly expanding global market for Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors, Aqara has achieved remarkable success, distributing over 100,000 units last year,” noted Cathy You, Aqara’s senior VP of Global Business and Strategy.

“The launch of the Motion and Light Sensor P2, which combines our renowned sensor technology with the latest in connectivity protocols and standards, encapsulates our forward-thinking approach and our commitment to delivering smart home solutions that are ready for tomorrow’s advancement,” she added.

TSMC on track toward 2nm and 1.4nm processors for Apple devices

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TSMC looks ahead to super-speedy 2nm processors
2nm processors made by TSMC will be faster while using less power than today's 3nm iPhone and Mac chips.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Progress is reportedly going well at Apple’s chipmaker TSMC on development of the 2nm and later 1.4nm processors to power the 2025 through 2027 Mac and iPhone models.

Getting these chips into production is a critical part of keeping Apple at the forefront of technology.

iPadOS 17.5 beta confirms next-gen iPad Pro’s OLED display

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OLED iPad mockup
The OLED iPad Pro should ship with slimmer bezels.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple’s new iPad Pro could launch in early May with updated internals and a refreshed design. All rumors surrounding Apple’s next premium tablet indicate it will feature OLED displays.

The first iPadOS 17.5 beta seems to confirm this, as it contains four new display firmware for unreleased iPad models.

Pick your next winner with this easy-to-use stock screener

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Pick smarter stocks with this $119.99 investment screener.
Get expert analytics for your stock portfolio with this $119.99 tool.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Dealing with an investment portfolio can be scary. What factors should you look for in a promising stock? When is the right time to sell? These are all questions that require research, but a stock-screening service like Tykr can make those sorts of decisions easy.

It’s a great tool that cuts through the math to deliver straightforward advice for today’s investors. And it’s not just for times when the market is flying high: Savvy investors can make money even when the market is down or going sideways.

If you want in on that action, jump on this chance to get a lifetime subscription to Tykr for just $96 with code ENJOY20.

These CT scans show Vision Pro’s glorious guts like nothing else

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Lumafield CT scan Vision Pro
An internals-only scan gives you a sense of how much Apple artfully packs into Vision Pro.
Photo: Lumafield

Want to see exactly what advanced engineering lies inside a Vision Pro AR/VR headset compared to Meta Vision Quest headsets? Lumafield dropped a fascinating video and a series of CT-scan images Tuesday to show you.

Lumafield pointed out it’s aim is not to present a head-to-head comparison or product review, but to reveal the companies’ “divergent design philosophies” through the headsets’ hardware engineering.

Apple’s Ferret-UI helps AI use your iPhone

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Ferret-UI
Ferret-UI might help AI systems like Siri understand and work with mobile-device screens.
Photo: Pexels-Tracy Le Blanc

Apple’s new Ferret-UI multimodal large language model could help artificial intelligence systems better understand mobile screens like the one on your iPhone, according to a research paper released Tuesday.

Among those potentially benefitting from this? Perhaps the much-maligned Siri voice assistant will do more for you on mobile devices. And maybe visually impaired users and developers who need to do user interface testing will benefit, too.

Apple showcases what Vision Pro can do for business

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Vision Pro business apps - Microsoft 365
Multitasking is easy between Microsoft 365 productivity apps using life-size windows.
Photo: Apple

Vision Pro and spatial computing can help businesses find new ways to customize workspaces, collaborate on 3D designs, deliver specialized employee training and guide remote fieldwork, Apple said Tuesday, citing visionOS apps.

“There’s tremendous opportunity for businesses to reimagine what’s possible using Apple Vision Pro at work,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of worldwide developer relations and enterprise marketing, in a statement.

Android’s Find My clone launches along with Apple-compatible tracker tags

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Google Android Find My Device
Google demonstrated its innovation by copying Apple's Find My.
Photo: Google

Google thinks Apple’s Find My network is so clever it “borrowed” the idea. After announcing the system last year, Android’s Find My Device network is ready to locate misplaced handsets, tablets and tracking tags.

Aside from an opportunity to mock Google for its “innovation,” the new system is relevant to iPhone users because Rolling Square unveiled a pair of tags that support both Google’s and Apple’s system.

15-inch MacBook Air vs. Dell XPS 15: Which laptop should you buy?

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Dell XPS 15 vs. 15-inch MacBook Air comparison
It's the battle of the 15-inch laptops.
Photo/Graphics: Dell/Apple/Rajesh

If you are in the market for a slim laptop, there are few options better than the 15-inch MacBook Air. But if you look beyond Apple’s ecosystem, there’s the Dell XPS 15. It packs a slim and lightweight design and offers more value for money than the MacBook. So, which 15-inch laptop wins the MacBook Air vs. Dell XPS 15 smackdown?

Find out in this buying guide, which compares the two laptops on their designs, displays, performance, ports, battery lives and prices.

Microsoft’s new Arm laptops might surpass M3 MacBook Air performance

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Apple's M3 chip
Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X Elite CPU might be faster than Apple's M3 chip.
Photo: Apple

Microsoft’s upcoming “AI PCs” might finally rival the performance of Apple’s latest MacBook Air. The new Arm-based Windows laptops, due for unveiling at a special event on May 20, will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processors.

Reportedly, the new Qualcomm CPU is faster than the M3 MacBook Air in CPU tasks, AI acceleration and app emulation.

Fly Me to the Moon with Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum takes off this summer

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'Fly Me to the Moon' with Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum takes off this summer
Fly Me to the Moon will be in theaters before coming to streaming on Apple TV+.
Photo: Sony Pictures

Apple TV+ gave the world its first look at the alternate-history comedy Fly Me to the Moon with Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum on Monday. It’s about events that definitely did not happen during the 1969 moon landing.

The film hits theaters this summer.

How to scan QR codes on iPhone

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A Faster Way to Scan
Scan QR codes faster with these tips.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can scan and open a QR code directly from your iPhone camera or a picture — you don’t have to download a third-party app. Here are the three ways you can open them: inside the camera, using a shortcut in Control Center and directly from your photo library. 

If you’re in a restaurant and you want to open their digital menu, or you’re setting up two-factor authentication using a code, you don’t want to fiddle with installing an app. This functionality is built right into your phone.

Keep reading or watch our short video.

42-inch smart TV may be user’s best display ever [Setups]

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LG C2 smart TV setup
This photographer said the 42-inch LG C2 smart TV is better than other displays he's tried.
Photo: [email protected]

Today’s Mac Pro and smart TV setup is a rare find for two reasons. First, Mac Pro costs so much that we rarely see it in the wild. Second, while big smart TVs used as computer displays continue to gain popularity, we don’t often hear users saying they’re one of the best they’ve ever had. But that’s the case with this LG C2 smart TV setup, used by a photographer and musician. 

In it, a powerful cheese-grater Mac Pro drives a gargantuan 42-inch smart TV as an external display.

Belkin iPhone stand cleverly keeps camera focused on you [Review] ★★★★★

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Belkin Auto-Tracking Stand Pro review: iPhone camera dock★★★★★
Enhance your video calls and content creation with the Belkin Auto-Tracking Stand Pro.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Belkin Auto-Tracking Stand Pro can hold up an iPhone, rotate and tilt to keep the camera focused on the user during video calls. It’s wish fulfillment for every TikTok or YouTube creator working alone. The same goes for anyone who’s frequently in video conferences.

I went hands on with the accessory and my iPhone 15. And wow, this thing is impressive.

Or if you’re looking for a Belkin iPhone mount with MagSafe for Mac desktops and displays, there are other solutions designed to enhance your workflow.

These new earbuds cost more than $1,000 for a reason

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Campfire Audio wired earbuds
If you want audiophile sound quality, wired earbuds that cost about a grand are a decent option.
Photo: Campfire Audio

Campfire Audio’s new Fathom earbuds cost an eye-watering $1,049. What’s perhaps even more surprising is that they’re wired earbuds.

Well, there must be some special technology in those, right? Right. And even though they have a cable, of course you can use them with your Mac or another device with an audio jack.

OLED iPad Pro and new iPad Air on track for early May launch

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Wait for OLED iPad Pro might stretch into April
New iPads could finally debut next month.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple’s long-rumored (and apparently delayed) OLED iPad Pro with M3 chip could launch in early May. Alongside the Pro iPads, Apple reportedly will unveil a new iPad Air, a third-gen Apple Pencil and a redesigned Magic Keyboard.

To prepare for the impending launch of the new iPads, Apple’s retail stores will receive new product marketing materials soon, according to the latest report.

Keep your kid safe online with this iPhone monitoring app

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The words
Monitor your children's iPhone activity 24/7 with mSpy.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The internet is massive, weird and full of things nobody should see, let alone children. However, as wild as the internet may be, it is also a resource your kids will need to get familiar with, especially for school. To balance those two things, you need a parental control app for iPhone like mSpy. (It works for Android devices as well.)

The stealthy spy app lets parents track their children’s online activity, including texts, calls and GPS. For a limited time, you can get a lifetime of mSpy for just $119.99 with code ENJOY20. That’s a massive discount off the regular price of $1,079.82.