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Use Hushed to get a second phone number for burner calls

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A person using a smartphone, presumably with a second phone line powered by Hushed.
Call off the random texts and unwelcome calls by using a Hushed private phone line.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Sometimes you need to call co-workers, businesses, Craigslist sellers — all sorts of people you might not want having access to your personal phone number and the ability to reach you at all hours of the day. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a little privacy, and with a Hushed private phone line, you can get that privacy without getting a whole new iPhone.

For a limited time, this app — which functionally gives you a second phone number — is on sale for $19.99 with code SECURE20 (regularly $150).

How to take solar eclipse photos with iPhone

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How to photograph the solar eclipse with iPhone
Here’s how to take the best solar eclipse photos with an iPhone.
Photo: Good Free Photos/Unsplash License/Cult of Mac

There are lots of questions about how to take solar eclipse photos with your iPhone. Firstly, can a solar eclipse harm your iPhone’s camera or lenses? Won’t the sun’s rays damage the camera?

Not according to Apple. Cupertino says it’s safe to photograph a total solar eclipse with your iPhone; but be sure to protect your eyes.

However, photographing the solar eclipse is hard without the right tools. To get a good picture of the solar eclipse with your iPhone, you’re going to need a 12-18x telephoto lens attachment, a solar filter and a tripod. Make sure you have everything you need before the big event on Monday.

Here’s how you can get prepared. Watch our new video or keep reading below.

Apple lays off 600+ employees after canceling Apple Car project

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Apple-Store-logo
Some Apple employees who worked on Apple Car and micro LED projects are being laid off.
Photo: Laurenz Heymann/Unsplash

Following the shutdown of the Apple Car project, the Cupertino giant is laying off more than 600 employees. Many other affected employees worked on developing micro LED displays for the Apple Watch and future products.

The laid-off employees worked in and around Santa Clara, near Apple’s California headquarters.

Bodycam, dashcam, security camera: This tiny gadget can do it all

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Tokk Cam 2+ bodycam, dashcam and home security cam is pictured being held in a hand, alongside the iPhone app that works with it.
Save big on a tiny Wi-Fi camera you can use to capture video in practically any situation.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You can’t see everything. If you’re out of the house, you might miss a package delivery. On the road, you might not see the person who cut you off in traffic. You might not even notice an animal right in front of you during a hike. But you can capture practically anything on video with Tokk Cam C2+ — a combination bodycam, dashcam and security camera.

You can mount this 1.5-inch Wi-Fi camera discreetly on your clothes, your dashboard or at home. And for a limited time, you can get one for just $48.79 with code SECURE20.

Save up to $400 on M2 MacBook Air models

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M2 MacBook Air deals
Now's the time to upgrade to a laptop from 2022.
Photo: Apple

Sure, it’s nice to get the latest MacBook model when you can, but not everyone needs a mega-powerful M3 chip. And that’s especially true when you can save hundreds on laptops with a merely super-powerful M2 chip. Best Buy is offering M2 MacBook Air models for up to $400 off as well as other deals.

But if you want to spend even less — or if you really want an M3 MacBook — we’ve included a selection of deals below. There are sweet deals on refurbished M1 and M2 MacBook Air models as well as $200 off a selection of M3 MacBook Pro models.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

A good chair for your setup doesn’t have to break the bank [Review] ★★★★☆

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Silybon ergonomic office chair★★★★☆
My Silybon ergonomic office chair is solid after 6 months of use.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Looking for a better office chair? You don’t have to spend several hundred dollars or more. I’ve found the Silybon Ergonomic Office Chair does a good job for about $110 after a discount.

With a history of back trouble, I was a little nervous about the purchase. But it’s a good, comfortable chair paired with a standing desk, so my back is fine.

These IT study guides will prep you for CompTIA, Azure, AWS and more for less than $24

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A photo of people using CompTIA study guides to get ready for IT certification exams.
Study guides for CompTIA, Salesforce and more are now an additional 20% off.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you want a successful career in IT, you need the proper certifications. This limited-time deal on CompTIA study guides will help you rack up those crucial IT certifications and broaden your horizons. Through April 7, you can get a lifetime subscription to The CompTIA and IT Exam Study Guides Training for an extra 20% off with code SECURE20.

That drops the price to just $23.99 (regularly $259). You’ll gain a lifetime of lessons on CompTIA and IT topics including Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, Microsoft Azure and much more.

With car junked, Apple robots could be Cupertino’s next moonshot

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Apple home robotic devices surely won't look like this Classicbot toy, which looks like a vintage Macintosh computer with arms and legs.
An Apple robot probably won't look much like this Classicbot toy.
Photo: Classicbot

Teams in Cupertino are working on Apple personal home robotic devices, including a mobile robot and a table-top device with a moving display, according to a new report.

These early efforts toward Apple robots could constitute future revenue sources now that the Project Titan car sits on the scrap heap.

Stick your iPhone to this foldable MagSafe stand [Review] ★★★★☆

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iPhone attached to SwitchEasy Orbit★★★★☆
It’s a portable, foldable iPhone stand.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

The SwitchEasy Orbit Universal Magnetic Stand is an incredibly handy little stand that’s sturdy and easy to use. It’s seamlessly blended into my daily iPhone habits — and unlike most products I review, everyone I show it to instantly wants one. 

The handy stand props up your iPhone on a table, desk or kitchen counter. Its puck shape allows you to orient your phone vertically or horizontally. It collapses and folds flat, so you can carry it around. 

You can also stick on double-sided tape and attach it to the back of your monitor as a camera mount for your iPhone.

I’ve been using it for a few months now at my desk and around the house. Here’s why I recommend it.

Morpho mystery deepens in The Big Door Prize season 2 trailer

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The Big Door Prize trailer
Season 2 of The Big Door Prize premieres with three episodes on Wednesday, April 24.
Photo: Apple TV+

The citizens of a small town called Deerfield continue to see their lives upended by a fortune-telling machine known as Morpho, according to the season 2 trailer Apple TV+ dropped Wednesday for philosophical comedy series The Big Door Prize.

Starring Emmy Award winner Chris O’Dowd, the well-liked comedy’s 10-episode second season debuts Wednesday, April 24, with three episodes.

iOS 17.5 beta 1: All the new features and changes

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iOS 17.5 beta
iOS 17.5 beta 1 is light on changes.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Following a lull of a few weeks, Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 17.5 to developers Tuesday. While iOS 17.4 was a big release, iOS 17.5 beta 1 packs relatively minor (albeit important) changes.

Below are all the changes we have spotted in the first iOS 17.5 beta.

Score super savings on Apple Watches and accessories

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Apple Watch deals accessories
Woot includes a choice of Apple Watch 8 models.
Photo: Apple

Amazon bargain site Woot! keeps the Apple savings coming. On Wednesday it surfaced an Apple Watches and More! sale with a handful of great deals on different models of the wearable, plus an accessories bundle. And the sale page doesn’t even include all the discounted Apple Watches on the site. We added a few below.

“Look like a Silicon Valley tech mogul,” Woot wrote. “And if smart watches aren’t your thing, we’ve also got a wide array of ‘More!'”

Rad gaming speakers complete dual-display workstation [Setups]

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Razer Nommo Chroma gaming speakers setup
You can see one of the Razer Nommo Chroma gaming speakers to the left behind the display.
Photo: [email protected]

A systems engineer who works for a software developer showed off today’s M1 Pro MacBook Pro setup, which features unusual audio. Razer Nommo Chroma gaming speakers rarely come up in setups despite their high coolness factor. They look a bit like highway patrol speed guns. And the noise-canceling wireless earbuds are a favorite — Soundcore Space A40. 

Taiwan earthquake seems unlikely to seriously disrupt Apple chip production

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Taiwan earthquake affects TSMC
TSMC appears to have successfully ridden out the earthquake in Taiwan.
Image: TSMC/Cult of Mac

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake that hit Taiwan on Wednesday — the worst in 25 years — killed at least nine people, injured more than 900 and toppled buildings. It also reportedly forced Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company to stop chip production, at least temporarily.

TSMC makes the processors that go into iPhone, Mac and other Apple products.

New Beats Solo 4 headphones could ship in early May

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Beats Solo 4 headphones
This Beats Solo 4 image appeared in the iOS 17.4 beta release.
Photo: Apple

Recent clues in iOS beta software plus a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing by Apple suggest new Beats Solo 4 headphones may ship as soon as early May, according to reports.

Given that Beats Solo 3 launched in 2016, well, it’s about time. Eight years usually represents several generations in tech products, not just one.

Snag noise-canceling JBL Tune Flex earbuds for less than $60

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A woman wearing JBL Tune Flex noise-canceling earbuds.
Upgrade your audio experience with these noise-canceling JBL earbuds.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

For a reliable pair of noise-canceling earbuds, you don’t have to turn to Apple. There are other brands that are trusted in the audio world — for instance, JBL. Ideal for anyone looking for high-quality noise cancellation, these wireless JBL Tune Flex Ghost Edition earbuds are currently discounted to only $59.99 (regularly $99.95).

They’re affordable thanks to their open box status, which simply means that these were likely excess inventory that may have come into contact with customers but have not been purchased or used. They’re certified to have been inspected and confirmed as in like-new condition. (They’ve also been placed in clean packaging.)

A high-quality, EDC band for your Apple Watch [Reviews] ★★★★☆

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All three Mifa nylon Apple Watch bands together.★★★★☆
The same high-quality velcro Apple Watch band comes in these three variants. (A new green model comes with a different NASA logo.)
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

If you’re looking for a hardy velcro EDC watch band for your Apple Watch, Mifa has you covered. Mifa’s Nylon Sports Leather Apple Watch Band is sturdy, the velcro is strong and the stitched leather is high-quality.

It’s a nice band for daily wear.

It comes in five different styles. The gray-on-black NASA-inspired design is my favorite. Two other designs in brown and black emphasize “EDC-34 Essential Series” with the Mifa name. And two new versions (in green and orange) sport NASA’s classic “meatball” insignia.

‘Best of Tech’ sale pushes surprising Apple items

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Woot Best of Tech sale - Apple World Travel Adapter Kit
We didn't know Apple offered this product, but thanks to Woot!, now we do.
Photo: Apple

Amazon bargain site Woot! is known for its bargain-basement sales on tech items, but Tuesday’s Best of Tech sale digs up some oddities, including an offbeat selection of Apple products. An international travel-adapter kit, for example. The much-maligned FineWoven iPhone cases (also silicone). And an AirTag keychain with a carabiner clip.

Not to mention gear from Belkin, Victrola and others — everything from chargers to solar panels.

The Best of Tech sale runs through April 9. See below for some of the most interesting items on sale.

Apple finally begins beta testing iOS 17.5, macOS Sonoma 14.5

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Apple Devices Spring 2024
There are fresh operating system betas for all types of Apple computers.
Photo: Apple

After a wait that stretched out weeks longer than usual, Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 17.5 to developers Tuesday, along with the initial beta of macOS Sonoma 14.5.

And it’s going to be a very busy day for developers because iPadOS 17.5 beta 1, watchOS 10.5 beta 1, tvOS 17.5 beta 1 and visionOS 1.2 beta 1 also all went out.

iWork 14 brings useful tweaks to Pages, Numbers and Keynote

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Apple iWork is Pages, Numbers and Keynote
There are some new improvements out for Apple's iWork suite.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple updated its iWork suite of productivity applications Tuesday with improvements related to shared documents, HEIC photos and iPad keyboards. The updated apps in iWork 14.0 — Pages, Numbers and Keynote — are all available free on Mac, iPad and iPhone.

Emmy-winning Jane unpacks new adventures in season 2 trailer

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Jane season 2 trailer on Apple TV+
The work of ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall inspired "Jane."
Photo: Apple TV+

Clever kids and adorable animals rush headlong into new adventures in the season 2 trailer Apple TV+ dropped Tuesday for Jane. The work of famed ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall inspired the TV series.

The mission-driven family show’s second season debuts April 19 on Apple TV+.

Free-floating Spatial Personas arrive in visionOS 1.1 for Vision Pro

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Spatial Personas on Vision Pro
Spatial Personas put you and others right in the shared workspace.
Photo: Apple

Apple will make Spatial Personas, a more lifelike enhancement of the Persona feature for the Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, available in the visionOS 1.1 update coming Tuesday.

In beta test versions of the software, Spatial Personas allow Vision Pro users to create and interact with customizable, free-floating 3D digital avatars in virtual spaces. They enhance collaboration via SharePlay while going beyond the limits of a little box on a FaceTime call.

Here’s the new batch of classic movies on Apple TV+ in April

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Here’s the new batch of classic movies on Apple TV+ in April
Apple TV+ has dozens of classic films for subscribers to watch. And it just added to the collection.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ just added two dozen more classic movies to its limited-time collection, including three John Wick films, the original Ghostbusters, a pair of Transformers movies and more.

They join an existing selection of films available to the streaming service’s subscribers, as well as all the content Apple TV+ itself produces or buys.

Remove duplicate files and clean up your Mac with Washing Machine X9

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Getting rid of unnecessary files will speed up your Mac.
Getting rid of unnecessary files will speed up your Mac. And this software makes it easy.
Photo: Intego

It’s almost time for spring cleaning — and that can and should include tidying up your Mac’s files. If you want to do the job right, try professional software like Mac Washing Machine X9 from Intego’s robust software suite.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by Intego.
Read more about the software — and how to get a great deal on it — below. It’ll get rid of unneeded files and have your Mac running like a champ in no time.