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.

April 8, 1983: John Sculley, former president of PepsiCo, takes charge as Apple’s third CEO.

Despite a total lack of experience selling tech products, Sculley is lured to Apple by Steve Jobs himself. The Apple co-founder famously pitched the Pepsi exec with the line, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

April 7, 1997: Apple’s System 7 operating system receives its last update with the shipping of Mac OS 7.6.1.

The update brings a few bug fixes and support for Apple’s new PCI Power Macs and the PowerBook 3400. Most importantly, it marks the end of the System 7 era, which dawned way back in 1991.

After Apple’s thunderous launch of the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max chips a few months ago, these chips likely will roll out as spec bumps in the MacStudio, Mac Pro and Mac mini later this year.

An M4 MacBook Pro remains a possibility for this fall. (I suspect M4 will be the first “must-have” Mac upgrade for anyone still on an M1-series chip.)

If you’ve ever misplaced your house keys, wallet or backpack, you know how stressful it can be. Fortunately, you can eradicate this experience with a Nut Mini tracker. This inexpensive Bluetooth tracking tag works a bit like our favorite tracker (Apple’s AirTag, natch) — but costs a lot less.

Bluetooth trackers prove super-helpful when it comes to ensuring all your items remain safe and whatever the opposite of “lost” is. And the Nut Mini is undoubtedly one of the more affordable options. Through April 7, you can snag this nifty gadget for only $11.99 with code SECURE20.

The Apple TV+ comedy Palm Royale holds on near the top of the streaming ratings charts for the second week in a row. It’s drawn in a large audience since it’s debut March 20.

And the new detective series Sugar on Apple’s streaming service might do just as well.

Apple reportedly struck a deal with Shutterstock to license its massive library of images and videos to train its AI models. The precise deal value remains unclear, but estimates suggest a range of $25 million-$50 million.

As a part of the licensing, Apple will gain access to millions of images and videos in Shutterstock’s library.

The Device Therapy Bike Mount & Reflector gives you a place to hide an Apple AirTag tracker. With this combination, you can (hopefully) track the location of your bike if it gets stolen because millions of iPhones around the world can report the location of your lost item.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After pulling the plug on an ambitious project — creating a self-driving car — Apple sets its sights on making … home robots?!? Say it ain’t so, Tim!

Also on The CultCast:

• New iPhone 16 dummy units bring the rumors to life. But as for those long-predicted fancy new iPads, we’re still waiting. Get used to it!
• The next-gen Apple processor could give Macs a serious performance boost. Erfon talks specs and speculation.
• Vision Pro’s new Spatial Personas aren’t creepy at all … 👻
• Griffin serves up some tips on how to take a proper photo during the upcoming total solar eclipse.

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.

If you own an iPhone 12 or newer, you need a MagSafe charging stand. They’re incredibly convenient, and they work great with iOS 17’s handy new StandBy feature, which instantly turns your iPhone into a smart display.

SwitchEasy offers two great wireless magnetic charging stands in the Cult of Mac Store — a powerful 4-in-1 and a compact 2-in-1 — and both feature a night light. And they’ve got something else in common. They’re both on sale in our SwitchEasy Sale.

Sega’s newest action puzzle game Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop is a falling-object game on which players connect icons to erase them. The latest addition to the Puyo Puyo series is playable on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro, and is an Apple Arcade exclusive.

Plus there are two new classics in the gaming service for young and old.

April 6, 1939: John Sculley is born in New York City. He will grow up to be hailed as a business and marketing genius, eventually overseeing Apple’s transformation into the most profitable personal computer company in the world.

After a remarkable stint as president of Pepsi-Cola, Sculley will take over as Apple’s third CEO in 1983. He runs Apple for a 10-year period, guiding the creation of the revolutionary Newton MessagePad.

During Sculley’s decade at the helm, Apple sells more personal computers than any other company. But most people still remember him for his role in kicking Steve Jobs out of Cupertino.

It’s hard to know where to start on Apple Arcade because the service offers so many titles. But we scoured the catalog and found all the best Apple Arcade games so you can get right to the good stuff.

Check out our latest video or keep reading below to see the best Apple Arcade games. And if you like what you see, you can pick up a subscription here.

Apple is opening its walled garden to game emulators. The company has updated the App Store guidelines to reflect that developers can now list retro game emulators for download worldwide.

Additionally, the updated guidelines make it easier for music streaming apps to redirect users to an external website. However, this change is only applicable to the EU.

Elago makes a staggering array of accessories for Apple products, from Apple Watch bands and device chargers to iPad stands and whimsical cases that look like classic gear from yesteryear.

The Cult of Mac Store offers 173 Elago products for sale. Check them out, and see some highlights below.

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Talk to drone enthusiasts, and you’ll hear enough technical jargon to make an actual pilot’s head spin. And while it’s true that drone technology has come a long way in the last 10 years, let’s not forget that these things are just plain fun to fly. Anyone can fly — and capture stunning aerial images — with this beginner drone with 4K cameras.

If you or a loved one ever wanted to experience drone flying firsthand, this 4K beauty with dual cameras, obstacle avoidance and other beginner-friendly features is a perfect starting point. And it’s only $69.97 (regularly $119) for a limited time!

A collection of 100 wild-looking smartphone cases inspired by the upcoming solar eclipse is selling out fast. The one-of-a-kind solar eclipse iPhone cases, made by the craftspeople at Carved, will give your handset an out-of-this-world look.

“We’ve been working hard to capture the essence of this coming 2024 eclipse,” the company said Friday on its Facebook page. “In all the excitement we’ve made a very limited run of eclipse designs just for you!”

It’s somewhat rare that we come across a Mac Pro setup on social media for the obvious reason that Apple’s top desktop computer costs a fortune. And the ones we see are often older than 2019’s cheese grater design. But today’s Mac Pro and smart TV setup is a welcome exception to that rule.

It sports a powerful cheese-grater Mac Pro driving a gargantuan smart TV as an external display.

And what’s more, a classic iMac G4 that still works and Wall-E and Eve toys from the Pixar movie look on from a shelf!

Amazon bargain site Woot goes big on Logi Friday in its Logitech Peripherals and Accessories Sale. Keyboards, mice, iPad keyboard cases, webcams, gaming devices, headsets — you name it, it’s there. Some items are priced at half off.

As of Friday morning, 55 discounted new and refurbished items await you. The sale ends April 20 at 10 p.m. PT (but when items sell out, they’re gone).

The CdkeySales Spring Sale blooms with hot bargains. You can pick amazing deals on Microsoft software. Many special prices await on Microsoft productivity software like Windows and Office. That includes a beautiful Windows 10 Pro deal. You can get it for only $18.27. And that includes a free upgrade!

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 25% off the site’s low prices on software keys. And you get a free upgrade to Windows 11 if you buy Windows 10!