Are you seeing the spinning beachball a lot? Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
If your Mac is running slow, there are a few things you can do to speed it up and better understand what’s slowing it down.
It’s not just that your Mac is old — although that is an important factor. It could be that you don’t have enough memory, especially if you like to use Google Chrome. You may have a bunch of apps running in the background. There also might be dust in the vents, keeping your Mac from running nice and cool.
And you can get M3 Pro and M3 Max laptops in space black. Photo: Apple
Right now you can lop up to $250 off the regular prices of M3 Pro or M3 Max MacBook Pro, the latest and greatest Apple laptops. And you can do it at your choice of competing retailers. Amazon, B&H Photo and Best Buy all have the same deals.
Uh-oh, buying expensive stuff just got a whole lot easier with Best Buy's new app for Vision Pro. Photo: Best Buy
The new Best Buy Envision app helps you find new purchases through a Vision Pro AR/VR headset and picture how they’ll look in your living space, the company said Friday.
“Today we’re announcing a new way that our customers can explore, discover and bring new technology to life in their own living space,” the big box store noted. “Best Buy Envision is an app exclusively available on the Apple Vision Pro that helps users plan their ultimate home technology setup.”
The space black M3 MacBook Pro sits open on a stand rather than in clamshell mode. Photo: [email protected]
A medical school student’s charming dual-display setup adds an M3 MacBook Pro as a third display by keeping it open on a stand. And the three displays form a pleasingly staggered formation, with one in portrait on the left, one in landscape at center and then the laptop’s screen.
Head to CdkeySales.com to score major savings on Microsoft software (and use code CULT to save an additional 30%). Photo: CdkeySales.com
As spring has sprung, and with the CdkeySales Spring Sale extended, software deals continue to blossom through late April and into May. So go ahead and pick your favorite Microsoft deals. Many stunningly low prices await on Microsoft productivity software like Windows and Office. That includes a lovely Windows 10 Pro deal for just $17.05. And a free upgrade comes with it!
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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!
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As a condo owner, I don't need more than Anker Solix C800 Plus to keep the place going in a power outage. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
The Anker Solix c800 Plus Portable Power Station is a capable and versatile portable power station that can get you through a power outage or let you live like a king on a camping trip.
With a stout 768Wh lithium-ion battery, the device packs a punch. It allowed me to charge multiple devices simultaneously and power various appliances in a simulated blackout. Now I’m just waiting for the power to go out for real, or for someone to invite me camping.
This Apple Watch Series X concept and other images might be a look into the future. Image: concept_central
Apple Watch Series X is expected to bring a redesign, new sensors and other changes later this year. A designer created images of a concept device to showcase the leaked/rumored features.
Why pay more for cloud storage? Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
It sucks when you see the dreaded message that your iPhone or Mac is running out of storage space. Fortunately, you can solve that problem with this cloud storage deal. You’ll pay less than $25 to get 100GB of Amaryllo Cloud secure storage for life.
WhatsApp and Threads are no longer available for download in China's App Store. Photo: Unsplash
Following a request from the Chinese government, Apple has reportedly pulled WhatsApp and Threads from China’s App Store. Other Meta apps, like Facebook and Instagram, are still available for download in the country.
The Cyberspace Administration of China asked Apple to take down the two Meta apps, citing national security concerns.
Accomplish insightful reads in limited time with this discounted subscription to 12min. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Whether you read to unwind, learn or simply keep yourself entertained, finding time to cross books off your reading list can be challenging while dealing with everyday life. If you can’t invest time to cuddle up with a good book, a book summary service like 12min can keep you up to speed with your reading goals. It serves up microbooks in multiple genres that you can plow through in just 12 minutes!
These book summaries let you absorb big ideas and key concepts from bestsellers at a rapid pace. And for a limited time, you can get lifetime access to 12min for just $34.99 (regularly $362.97).
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Zagg's new desk mat is also a wireless charger and a mousepad. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Zagg Desk Mat with Wireless Charging keeps your iPhone and other gear juiced up while also acting as a nonslip workspace, mousepad and stylus holder.
I put one in my home office and tested it with my iPhone and other accessories. Here’s how it went.
The family of Elago Neo devices could help newbies create great content, and look and sound good on calls. Photo: Elgato
The new Elgato Neo range of devices — condenser microphone, webcam, LED key light, capture card and stream deck — simplifies video calls, content creation and video streaming for newbies, the company said Thursday. The gear also looks good doing it, with a unified white design across all five devices.
All the Neo products are compatible with iPad, making them an excellent choice for creators who use their tablets for content creation.
Over 60 IHG Hotels & Resorts now support streaming video over AirPlay to hotel room TVs. Photo: Apple/IHG
The long wait for easy access to AirPlay in hotel rooms is over. Sort of. Apple announced Thursday that a hotel chain is supporting the feature that allows iPhone and iPad users to wirelessly stream content to hotel TVs.
It’s a limited rollout, so travelers are left hoping there’ll be wider adoption.
Users pay a small annual fee. Developers can distribute apps for free. Photo: AltStore PAL
The first third-party app marketplace, AltStore PAL, launched in the European Union on Wednesday. The App Store alternative comes from Riley Testut, the developer who got his Delta retro-game emulator into the iPhone App Store on the same day.
This radio can pick up signals from around the world, and it's only $149.99. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
A radio might feel old-fashioned, but it’s still a great way to stay connected with the world without needing an internet connection. A good multiband radio can play music riding the airwaves from other countries or tune into emergency broadcasts when the power goes out and the internet goes dark.
Apple said it's working with River Partners in northern California to restore the natural function of the flood plain on 750 acres where the Sacramento River, Feather River and Butte Creek meet. Photo: Apple
Apple said Wednesday it has tripled its use of clean energy since 2020, among other benchmarks of progress toward its goal to reach carbon neutrality across its supply chain by 2030. And on Thursday, the iPhone giant released its full 2024 Environmental Progress Report.
“Clean energy and water are foundational to healthy communities and essential building blocks for a responsible business,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives.
“We’re racing toward our ambitious Apple 2030 climate goal while taking on the long-term work to transform electrical grids and restore watersheds to build a cleaner future for all.”
UPDATE: Ahead of Earth Day on April 22, on Thursday Apple released its much more detailed 2024 Environmental Progress Report, laying out its progress on environmental initiatives related to Apple 2030. For example, the iPhone giant said its greenhouse gas emissions are down 55% since 2015.
The iPhone 17 Plus could be smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The 2025 iPhone 17 Plus could sport a smaller screen than previous Plus models. This could make the phone more compact and fit better in Apple’s lineup.
Apple currently uses a 6.7-inch OLED panel on the iPhone 15 Plus. This is the same display size as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, albeit the latter uses a superior 120Hz panel.
Give your Switch gaming experience style with these wireless controllers with RGB lights, now $31. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
The Nintendo Switch is a great on-the-go gaming experience, yet the standard Joy-Con controllers can leave a lot to be desired. Fortunately, you don’t need to continue gaming with the stock controller. This RGB Nintendo Switch controller can light up your gaming with extra flair and turbo buttons.
Delta turns an iPhone into a range of classic handheld consoles. Screenshot: Testut Tech
The new Delta retro game emulator is now on the iPhone App Store. Not only can it handle ROMs originally for the classic Game Boy handheld console, but it also emulates NES, SNES, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS.
It’s a launch that fans of classic games have long awaited.
Not only do fans of the hit sci-fi show get a new season, they get "For All Mankind" spinoff "Star City." Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+ renewed its hit alternative-history sci-fi show For All Mankind Wednesday for a fifth season. And, while it was at it, it threw in a whole new spinoff series! For All Mankind spinoff Star City will delve further into secrets of the Soviet space program.
New M-series processors should start arriving like clockwork. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
A recent report that the Apple M4 Mac processor will launch this fall — only a year after the debut of the M3 — met with some surprise and skepticism. But it shouldn’t have — Apple’s goal to refresh the chip line every year is ambitious but achievable.
Just because Intel can’t bring out new generations of its processors annually doesn’t mean Apple and TSMC can’t.
Chat Filters will make managing your WhatsApp inbox a lot easier. Photo: WhatsApp
WhatsApp is rolling out Chat Filters to make it easier to follow up on unread conversations. These filters allow you to swiftly go through your inbox based on unread messages or group conversations.
As WhatsApp has grown in popularity, so has the number of people and brands reaching out to you on the service. This means you’re more likely to miss out on an important message, which Chat Filters can help avoid.
In the old version of the setup, the vintage displays were far apart. Photo: [email protected]
Multi-display computer setups with asymmetrical placements — aka, screens oriented in landscape and portrait orientations — are so popular that even vintage Apple displays are getting in the action. Today’s featured rig uses a modern MacBook and vintage displays. A M1 Pro MacBook Pro from 2021 drives a Cinema Display and Thunderbolt Display from many years earlier.