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Save hundreds on fancy Apple Watch Series 9 models

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Apple Watch Series 7 gold stainless steel with cellular and GPS
This one with the gold stainless steel case and matching Milanese Loop is $60 off.
Photo: Apple

We often point out sale prices on basic Apple Watch Series 9 models — usually the more-affordable ones with aluminum cases and GPS only. But now Amazon is rocking great low prices on the fancy stainless steel models with cellular coverage plus GPS. You could save up to $227!

BenQ’s brilliant new 4K display is made for MacBook users

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BenQ PD3225U Designer Monitor
BenQ's new PD3225U Designer Monitor packs features ideal for Mac and MacBook users.
Photo: BenQ

BenQ rolled out a new 32-inch 4K display Wednesday aimed straight at Mac and MacBook users. It’s the BenQ PD3225U Thunderbolt 3 Designer Monitor. At $1,100, the 4K display packs features that might tempt you away from spending more on a Studio Display or another 5K monitor.

“Featuring IPS Black for 2000:1 contrast ratio, Color Match with Mac devices through M-book mode, and iKeyboard Control, the PD3225U is the perfect creative complement for Mac users in need of color accuracy and enhanced connectivity,” the company said.

2024 MacBook Air review roundup: Serious performance boost

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2024 MacBook Air M3 in use
One reviewer says the 2024 MacBook Air offers, "excellent performance, gorgeous screens and incredible battery life."
Photo: Apple

The highlight of the 2024 MacBook Air is the Apple M3 processor, and the first round of reviews show a 25% increase over the earlier M2-based models.

Otherwise, Apple didn’t tinker with the design of previous versions of its 13- and 15-inch consumer-oriented notebook.

MacBook with 20-inch folding screen still on track for release

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MacBook with 20-inch folding screen still on track for release
This concept could be an early glimpse of the MacBook of the future.
Concept: Astro HQ

Apple continues to work on a MacBook with a 20-inch folding screen, according to a reliable source of insider information. It could set a new pattern for notebooks for the coming decade.

The product has been on the drawing board for quite some time, but isn’t scheduled for release until 2027.

How indecision and hubris killed the Apple car

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A Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle
One Apple car prototype reportedly looked something like one of Canoo's microbus-style vehicles.
Photo: Canoo

The history of the Apple car is littered with wild prototypes, astonishing hubris and a deadly dose of crippling indecision, according to a damning report that offers the best picture yet of the secretive Project Titan.

It sounds like many Apple employees — and even key execs — viewed the self-driving car project as a doomed effort nearly from the start.

“The big arc was poor leadership that let the program linger, while everyone else in Apple was cringing,” said an anonymous Apple executive who worked on Project Titan.

If you want to know how a massive research and development project can crash and burn, this new behind-the-scenes account of Project Titan will show you how. It’s filled with gory details of unachievable goals, chaotic management, bad decisions (and sometimes no decisions at all).

Apple calls Epic Games ‘untrustworthy,’ blocks Fortnite rerelease in EU

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Apple calls Epic Games 'untrustworthy,' blocks 'Fortnite' re-release in EU
The battle between Epic Games and Apple is as cut-throat as anything in Fortnite.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Epic Games will not be able to bring Fortnite back to the European Union. Apple canceled the company’s developer account (again) and called Epic “verifiably untrustworthy.”

Shutting down the developer account also means that the game-maker won’t be able to open its promised rival to the App Store.

Turn your iPad into an art studio with this top-rated digital pen

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Get more than half off this top-rated tablet pen today.  
Get an Apple Pencil alternative for less than $40.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Using a digital pen with your iPad (or other tablet) can open up a whole world of new everyday uses. And you don’t need to invest in an expensive Apple Pencil to try it out. This iPad stylus is a much more affordable Apple Pencil alternative, and it’s even cheaper during our limited-time sale.

Right now, you can grab the top-rated Digi Pen for iPad and other tablets for just $31.99 with code ENJOY20. Don’t miss this hot deal on a great accessory for stepping up how you use your tablet.

MacBooks make up whopping 90% of Mac sales

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Best-selling Macs - MacBook-Pro-M3-trio
MacBook Pro models account for a bit more than half of Mac sales.
Photo: Apple

MacBook Pro and MacBook Air combine to account for a staggering 90% of Apple’s Mac sales. That’s according to a new report Wednesday about best-selling Macs from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).

The laptops’ dominant popularity over desktop Macs has long been evident. But the new report showing 2023 data really puts an exclamation point on it.

M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air: Which laptop is right for you?

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M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air comparison
Aside from a faster M3 processor, what upgrades did Apple add to the 2024 MacBook Air lineup?
Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh

The 2024 MacBook Air lineup looks a lot like the previous models. However, the M3 chip inside gives the laptops a performance boost, and the new laptops come with several additional upgrades. But in an M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air showdown, what are the differences? And is the new model worth paying more?

Find out in our M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air comparison.

Logitech’s new flagship webcam combines ultra HD with AI

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Logitech MX_Brio webcam
The business version includes the AI feature.
Photo: Logitech

Logitech’s new MX Brio and MX Brio 705 for Business 4K webcams combine ultra high-definition video performance with artificial intelligence to help find your best look, the company said.

“We know that MX users collaborate and communicate from many different environments, and need a versatile webcam offering the best video and sound quality,” said Anatoliy Polyanker, general manager of Logitech’s MX Business, in a press release Wednesday. “MX Brio is our highest-quality webcam, featuring customization and the ability to show themselves or their work in the best possible way.”

How to read auto-generated transcripts in Apple Podcasts

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Apple Podcasts transcripts
Every episode on Apple Podcasts now has a written transcript, ready for you to read.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

It just became a lot easier to read along with a podcast, or pull an interesting quote out of one. The Apple Podcasts app now automatically generates transcripts for series and episodes.

Here’s how to find and read these transcripts in the iPhone Podcasts app.

Mechanical keyboard clicks with Mac Studio workstation [Setups]

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Keychron K8 mechanical keyboard
This Keychron mechanical keyboard beat out a couple of Razer keyboards to be here.
Photo: [email protected]

Some people love peace and quiet. Others love mechanical keyboards. That clackety-clacking noise is the very sound of productivity, isn’t it? The feel of the keys. The way you can practically make a lifelong hobby out of customizing a “hot swappable” model with different keycaps, switches and more. Today’s Mac Studio and Studio Display setup relies on a Keychron K8 mechanical keyboard. 

The user swears by it, having chosen it over a couple of well-regarded Razer keebs. He’s still got the Razer wrist rest, though. 

Digitize your tax docs (and everything else) with this top iPhone scanning app

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Save time and space with this on-the-go scanning app for a low price.
Scan all your tax documents with the easy-to-use iScanner app.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When it comes time to deal with tax season, the amount of required documents can quickly become overwhelming. You could always attempt to collect and protect paper printouts like some kind of hoarder. But the smart move in this modern era is to digitize all your documents with an iPhone scanning app.

With all your documents scanned, you will benefit from a major shortcut when filing taxes. And you can streamline the scanning process by picking up a discounted lifetime subscription to the highly rated iScanner app. Normally priced at $199, you can get this iPhone app for only $31.99 with code ENJOY20 for a limited time.

Apple removes big financial barrier for new app stores

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Apple App Store NOT
Apple made opening a rival to the iPhone App Store less of a financial burden.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple just removed a significant barrier for opening a rival iPhone app store in the European Union. Submitting a million-euro letter of credit is no longer required. There are still plenty of other requirements, though.

Rival app marketplaces are coming to the European Union — and nowhere else — because of landmark legislation that forced Apple to broaden the options for installing iPhone apps.

Still big in Japan, iPhone slips in China

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iPhone 15 Pro in iPhone market outlook
Tuesday's iiPhone market outlook reports fell short of upbeat.
Photo: Apple

A flurry of iPhone market outlook reports shows Apple’s juggernaut handset is still the top-seller in Japan while slipping to fourth place in China so far in 2024. And that comes as Apple lowers component shipment targets for the year amid supply chain challenges, pointing to a possibly down year.

Try these exciting iOS 17.4 features on your iPhone now

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iOS 17.4 release notes
iOS 17.4 is here with several major changes and features.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple just dropped iOS 17.4, bringing a plethora of new features — some of which fundamentally change how the iPhone works.

The biggest point update to iOS 17, iOS 17.4 comes almost six months after the operating system’s initial release. It enables support for third-party app stores, browsers and payment apps on the iPhone. The bummer? These major changes are only coming to the European Union. Still, there are a lot of new iOS 17.4 features that will enhance the experience of every iPhone user.

Early benchmarks show M3 chip gives MacBook Air hefty performance boost

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M3 chip gives 2024 MacBook Air hefty performance boost
Dropping the M3 into the 2024 MacBook Air significantly pumps up the performance.
Photo: Apple

The Apple M3 processor in the 2024 MacBook Air brings a 25% increase to the upgraded notebook’s performance, according to early benchmark results. And the increase over the M1-based version is even more spectacular.

The M3 is Apple’s latest processor family, and it’s made using a cutting-edge 3nm production process.

MacPaw’s latest app will clean your photo library [Awesome Apps] ★★★★☆

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CleanMyPhone app for iPhone★★★★☆
Clean out years of bad pictures.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Awesome Apps

CleanMyPhone is a new app that will tidy up your photo library. Developed by MacPaw, maker of CleanMyMac X, the new app can do a thorough scan of images on your iPhone to clear out years of screenshots, saved TikToks and unusably blurry shots. It’s a simple way to clean up photos on your iPhone.

It also uses artificial intelligence to sort your photos into handy categories. Plus, it makes it simple to periodically look at the last week or month of your photos to sort things into albums and stay organized. As a bonus, the app comes with an internet speed test — good for checking if your connection is solid enough to take an important video call.

The CleanMyPhone app is available today from the App Store, with a free three-day trial. An annual subscription costs $24.99.

14-inch M3 MacBook Pro gains multi-display support

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M3 MacBook Pro multi-display support
Updates will soon enable all M3 MacBooks to drive multiple displays in clamshell mode.
Photo: Apple

The new M3 MacBook Air laptops Apple rolled out Monday support up to two 5K (or lower rsolution) external displays in clamshell mode. And now the base 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro will add multi-display support, according to a report.

In the case of the entry-level MacBook Pro, which uses the same chip but lacks multi-display functionality, support will come in the form of a software update. M3 Pro and M3 Max MacBook Pro models already support the feature.

Slash $120 off Magic Keyboard case for 11-inch iPad Pro/iPad Air

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Magic Keyboard for 11-inch iPad Pro and iPad Air
Grab this steep discount on Magic Keyboard for 11-inch iPad Pro and 10.9-inch iPad Air.
Photo: Apple

Apple is famous for quality products as well as the high prices that go with them. That’s true of its input devices like keyboards — including the excellent, $299 Magic Keyboard for 11-inch iPad Pro and 10.9-inch iPad Air (4th and 5th generations). But what if you could get that Magic Keyboard for $120 off?

Right now Amazon is offering Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro/Air — which offers case-like protection for the tablets and much more — for just $179.99

New Belkin mount connects iPhone to Apple TV for top-quality video calls

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New Belkin mount connects iPhone to Apple TV for top-quality video calls
Belkin makes it a snap to mount an iPhone on a TV.
Photo: Belkin

The just-launched Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Apple TV 4K makes it easy to hold FaceTime calls with Apple’s set-top box. It magnetically holds an iPhone so its cameras point toward the user.

Video-chat capability is built into Apple’s set-top box — the mount just makes it simpler.

Mac Studio and Studio Display refurbs seem new [Setups]

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Mac Studio and Studio Display refurbs in setup
This user said it's hard to tell his Mac Studio and Studio Display aren't new.
Photo: [email protected]

When new Apple gear comes out, sometimes it pays to wait a bit and grab it when the iPhone giant and other sellers start offering refurbished versions of it. Today’s setup boasts a Mac Studio desktop computer and a Studio Display, both refurbished, and the user said he had a hard time telling they’re not actually new.