If you’ve read much of Cult of Mac’s computer setups coverage, you know we love good audio. And we love it more when it’s high-value, where the sound is great despite affordable pricing. Edifier R1280T speakers meet that mark.
Edifier is a brand that has long lived in that space. And today’s MacBook Pro and PC laptop setup makes good use of a pair of powered Edifier bookshelf speakers that even MacBook Pro’s fine set of six can’t really compete with (outside of portability).
The first iPhone with a folding screen will go into production in 2026, according to an analyst. This is the second such report in recent months, and could be a sign that Apple is really ready to move ahead with the product.
A MacBook with a 20-inch folding screen reportedly will launch the year before.
Apple shined a light on LGBTQ+ communities Monday with its new Pride Collection. It includes a new Apple Watch Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop plus a matching watch face and dynamic iOS and iPadOS wallpapers. In a first, you can customize the watch face and wallpapers by choosing colors.
You can order the new Apple Watch band starting May 22. The watch face and dynamic wallpapers for iOS and iPadOS arrive with an upcoming software update, Apple said.
A MacBook with a 20.3-inch folding screen will hit the market earlier than expected, according to an analyst. The folding Mac supposedly will go into production in late 2025.
Apple reportedly plans some big design changes for next year’s iPhone 17 lineup. The changes include a smaller Dynamic Island and a “more complex” aluminum design. The company might even revamp its lineup with the addition of the iPhone 17 Slim.
★★★★☆
The GPX Capture 7″ Wifi Photo Frame is ready to display pictures sent from your whole extended family. It’s so easy to use it makes a great gift for the non-techie mom in your life.
The touchscreen looks great, whether it’s showing images or short videos sent in from a free app.
I put digital photo frame in my home office for hands-on testing. And I love it.
When. you’re using your Mac, iPhone or iPad, nothing ruins that clean Apple experience quite like runaway ads and obnoxious pop-ups. Luckily, there’s an easy way to block those on all of your Apple devices: Control D, an ad blocker that also shields you from malware and other internet nightmares.
This unique internet service blocks trackers, boosts productivity and gives parents control over their children’s device usage. And you don’t need to download a thing, because Control D connects to any device on your wireless network.
For a limited time, you can get a five-year Control D subscription for the best price on the web — just $34.97 (regularly $120).
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: With Apple’s “Let Loose” event just days away, it’s time for one of our favorite endeavors — trying to predict what, exactly, Tim Cook & Co. will trot out. This time, it looks like the event will be all about new iPads (plus iPad accessories like Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard). But whose predictions will prove most accurate?
Erfon, Griffin and I go on the record with our “Let Loose” event predictions (and talk plenty of trash). Plus, for the first time, listeners can download their own scoresheets and play along.
Let the crystal-balling begin!
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.
Casetify partnered with Lucasfilm to release an exclusive collection of iPhone cases and other accessories in honor of Star Wars Day. It’s all about the Dark Side of the Force, with a range of styles featuring Darth Vader, the Death Star, stormtroopers and more.
These are limited editions so don’t procrastinate about ordering.
The action-comedy romance film Argylle stayed near the top of streaming popularity charts for a third week. The Apple TV+ spy-vs-spy thriller is chock full of celebrities.
Plus, the dark, gritty series Sugar continues to pull in big audiences on Apple’s streaming service for another week, too. It features Colin Farrell as a private investigator solving a mystery.
Digital photos may not fade in the sun, but virtually any file can be corrupted. If you’re getting an error message whenever you try to open an old file, all hope isn’t lost. You can use photo and video repair software to make things right.
EaseUS Fixo is an all-in-one file repair toolkit for Mac that can revive corrupted and unopenable photos, documents and more. Normally, a lifetime subscription would cost $119, but you can get it on sale for only $49.99.
These are the best Mac apps that’ll help you through all kinds of work — writing, graphic design, video editing — with a few simple (must-have) utilities that everyone can make use of.
Finding good apps can be hard, especially if you’re new to the Mac. Luckily, we’ve put together a list of the very best.
Keep reading or watch our video guide instead.
TV is fine for when you want to binge and unwind after a hard day at work, but when it comes time for a house party, it can be a distraction or worse. Now there’s an imaginative and classy way to use that wall space with Dreamscreens. This simple USB device comes loaded with art screensavers for TV that will turn your big screen into a frame for some of the world’s most captivating paintings.
And thanks to a special promo, you can get it for $31.99 through May 5.
iPad shipments declined 8.5% year-over-year in the first quarter of the 2024, according to a market research firm. The drop can be partially chalked up to the complete lack of new models for the last 18 months.
But it demonstrates Apple’s dominance of the global tablet market that it’s still on top despite a hefty decline during winter quarter.
A new Find Your Friends ad Apple dropped Friday connects the Find My universe with the Star Wars universe, as Boba Fett uses his iPhone 15 in the video to locate fellow Mandalorians in a crowded mall. Or wait, maybe it’s a convention center.
Yeah, it’s a guy in homemade Mandalorian battle gear going off to find like-minded nerds at a raucous Star Wars convention. It’s pretty funny.
Another Mac and PC computer setup stands in the spotlight today — this time a MacBook Pro and PC laptop driving a 4K display and an array of peripherals through an Orico Thunderbolt 3 dock bristling with 15 ports.
The setup emphasizes gaming, too, with a PlayStation 5 mounted under the desk. We’ll take a look at that, too.
The big May Sale at CdkeySales is underway, offering excellent deals on Microsoft software. Amazingly low prices await on productivity software like Windows and Microsoft Office. That includes a Windows 10 Pro deal for just $17.05. And a free upgrade comes with it!
You can find surprisingly low prices at software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com now and throughout the year. To get the most savings, enter promo code CULT. That cuts an additional 30% off the site’s low prices on software keys. And when you buy Windows 10, you get a free upgrade to Windows 11!
The trade-off to having such a powerful camera on your iPhone is that the photo files can get pretty big. If you’re running into low-storage warnings on your iPhone, it might be time to throw a few things in storage. Like, for instance, with this great deal on 500GB of Amaryllo Cloud storage.
Amaryllo’s one-time-payment model means you can get 500GB for life and fill it with practically anything from your iPhone, iPad and MacBook. For a limited time, it’s on sale for only $119.99 (regularly $249).
CEO Tim Cook is very enthusiastic about the artificial intelligence features coming to iPhone, Mac and iPad. On Thursday, he spoke glowingly about Apple’s unique advantages in this area, and talked about the “transformative power and promise of AI.”
iOS 18, macOS 15 and iPadOS 18 are all expected to include new AI features when they launch this autumn.
Apple saw its revenue drop 4% year over year in the first quarter, the company reported Thursday. But revenue and earnings dropped less than analysts had expected, setting off a surge in the share price.
In a conference call with investors and analysts after the financial results had been announced, CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri talked about this being the quarter of the “challenging compare,” were upbeat about iPhone sales in China, bragged about the M3 MacBook Air, and fended off questions about the company’s AI plans.
On average, it can take up to 80 job applications before you land an interview. Even if those are the easiest types of applications, which let you simply upload your resume without manually inserting additional info, that still represents plenty of wasted time getting your info out to potential employers. An AI job application writer can help.
Make this grueling process a thing of the past with AI-powered job-application extension LazyApply. It uses artificial intelligence to streamline your job search. Even better, you can get a lifetime license to LazyApply for only $59.97 through March 5. That’s a 59% discount off the regular price of $149.
Apple responded to protests about the Core Technology Fee it charges European developers every time one of their applications is installed. It removed the requirement for apps that generate “no revenue whatsoever.”
Currently, the CTF is only charged in the EU, but it has the potential to expand globally so prudent developers should pay attention to any changes no matter where they live.
The new SoundLink Max Portable Speaker adds a bit of heft and a bunch of powerful sound to the Bose line of SoundLink Bluetooth speakers, the company said Thursday.
“This all-new portable speaker has lasting power, rugged durability, and delivers incredible sound for its size,” Bose noted. “Now you can set the vibe with your favorite playlist no matter where you go.”
For the first time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) qualified a digital technology — Apple Watch’s AFib History feature — for a special research program. AFib, or atrial fibrillation, is a type of abnormal heart beat associated with heart attacks.
Apple Watch’s AFib History now qualifies for FDA’s stringent Medical Device Development Tools (MDDT) program. The program says which tools research sponsors can choose from to help develop and evaluate medical devices.
TubeOnAI is a platform that makes it easier to stay abreast of the latest content from your favorite YouTubers and Apple podcasters. This AI-powered summary tool automatically downloads transcripts from your chosen creators. Then it uses GPT-4 to provide YouTube and podcast summaries.
That will save you loads of time, while keeping you from missing out on essential content. To take advantage of this powerful tool, snag a TubeOnAI Premium Lite Lifetime Plan for $78.99 (regularly $224).
