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iPad gift guide: Pick the best tablet to give your loved ones

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iPad gift guide: Pick the best model to give your loved ones
We have expert advice on choosing the best iPad to give as a gift.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

iPad makes a spectacular gift. Apple tablets are very popular, and everyone from little Billy to Grandma will enjoy one.

But there’s a wide array of models to choose from. In this guide, we go through all the options to explore their pros and cons as gifts.

Apple reportedly ending Apple Card partnership with Goldman Sachs

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Making Apple Card payments is as simple as its design.
Apple might have to find a new banking partner for Apple Card.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s partnership with Goldman Sachs for the Apple Card is reportedly coming to an end. The Wall Street Journal says Apple sent a proposal to the bank to exit from the agreement in the next 12 to 15 months.

At the moment, it remains unclear if Apple has zeroed in on another banking partner for Apple Card.

Make password management easy with a lifetime Sticky Password sub, just $16

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Celebrate Cyber Week with $183 savings on Sticky Password's cybersecurity.
Secure the premium version of this highly rated password manager for one low payment.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Remembering and updating passwords and other sensitive info quickly becomes a challenging task once you wise up and stop using the same stupid password for everything. Fortunately, you don’t need to deal with forgotten passwords again with Sticky Password.

Through Cyber Week, you can enjoy a lifetime subscription to Sticky Password’s top-rated password management and form filler for only $15.97 (regularly $199) until December 3!

Bag bargains on Macs, iPads and Studio Displays while you can

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Woot! Apple sale
Discounted iMacs are on the gift list this season at bargain site Woot!
Photo: Apple

Amazon bargain site Woot! would never miss out on giving you discounted gift options on Apple gear for the holidays, and so it offers a sale right on the heels of Cyber Monday.

iMacs, Mac minis, MacBooks, iPads, Studio Displays — the list of 18 items at up to 51% off is well worth a look. Sale goes through December 5, but these deals likely will sell out early.

Never miss a delivery with this free package-tracking app [Awesome Apps]

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AfterShip package tracker
A package tracking app with all the features you expect, and it costs nothing.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Awesome Apps

AfterShip Package Tracker is a free app that does exactly what it says in the name: It tracks your packages. You can see all your orders in one place, when they will arrive, and how close they are geographically to you. Push notifications are fast and alert you when your items are on their way.

Plus, unlike just about every other package-tracking app for iOS, AfterShip Package Tracker is totally free, with no in-app purchases.

New doc takes closer look at John Lennon’s killer [Apple TV+ trailer]

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Trailer for
Lots of information from various sources plus exclusive interviews shed light on the music icon's murder.
Photo: Apple TV+

Exclusive interviews with eyewitnesses to John Lennon’s murder, unseen crime-scene photos and discussions with experts — including the psychiatrist who first assessed confessed murderer Mark David Chapman — shed light on the music icon’s killing, according to a new trailer Apple TV+ dropped Tuesday for the documentary series John Lennon: Murder Without A Trial.

The three-part series, narrated by Emmy Award-winning actor Kiefer Sutherland, debuts on Apple TV+ December 6.

Premium iPad stylus takes on Apple Pencil with pressure sensitivity and buttons [Review] ★★★

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Adonit Note+ 2 review★★★
Adonit Note+ 2 is actually better than Apple Pencil 2 in a couple of ways.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Adonit Note+ 2 is an iPad stylus with all the usual features as well as pressure sensitivity and a pair of programmable buttons. Plus there are writing tips in hard, medium and soft. These make it much better option for digital artists than typical styli. It actually goes head-to-head with Apple Pencil 2.

An iPad Pro is my primary computer, so I took the Note+ 2 for a hands-on test drive.

5 Black Friday Apple deals that are still live

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Black Friday Apple Deals Still Live
These Black Friday Apple deals are still live!
Image: Rajesh/Cult of Mac

Black Friday and Cyber Monday provide an excellent opportunity to buy a new MacBook, iPad and other Apple products at heavily discounted prices. This year, we saw some hefty discounts on Apple gear during the shopping marathon.

But what if you missed buying the MacBook or Apple Watch you wanted? While Black Friday and Cyber Monday might be over, the deals are not all gone. Check out the five best Apple deals that are still live below.

Last chance to win a super-protective iPad case from Zugu [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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Lather your iPad in a luxurious sheild.
Keep your iPad safe and secure at all times in a rugged Zugu case.
Photo: Zugu

The prize in this week’s giveaway is every iPad owner’s dream: an iPad case from Zugu with a built-in Apple Pencil holder. We teamed up with Zugu to give five lucky winners the chance to win one of these fantastic iPad cases.

Zugu’s cases start at $49.99, fit a wide array of iPads, and come in nine different colors. So if you win, you will be spoiled for choice.

Peruse Apple Books’ top titles of 2023 and learn more about your own favorites

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Apple Books Year in Review
Apple Books' new Year in Review feature offers insights into what you read.
Photo: Apple

There’s nothing like cracking open the ol’ iPad to the next page of the book you can’t put down — thanks to Apple Books. And now you can find your next great read from the service’s most-popular books of 2023 and enjoy a Year in Review with insights into the books and authors you enjoyed, Apple said Tuesday.

Pick new podcasts from Apple’s list of most popular ones

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Pick new podcasts from Apple's list of most popular ones
The Apple Podcasts app will show you to most popular offerings in your country.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

One of the best ways to discover new podcasts is by finding out what other people are listening to. Apple made that easy Tuesday by tabulating the most popular podcasts of 2023.

These hit podcasts are available in localized versions for listeners in nearly 100 countries and regions.

Inexpensive stand makes your Apple Watch into a desk accessory [Review]

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HEDock review
The HEDock holds an Apple Watch in portrait or landscape mode.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Your Apple Watch can still be useful, even when you’re not wearing it. The HEDock holds the Watch up at a convenient angle while it’s charging.

This simple, very affordable accessory could be just what your desk or bedside table needs. And it’s on sale until the end of this year in the Cult of Mac Store for just $7.50.

Sign in to your Google accounts before December or they’ll be deleted

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iPad showing google.com
Use your Google account before December 1 to make sure it doesn’t get deleted.
Photo: cottonbro studio/Pexels

Google plans to purge old accounts starting in December. However, you can keep your Google account active and prevent it from being deleted. You have until the first day of December to save any inactive Google accounts.

What’s being cleaned out? Any Google account that’s been inactive for two years. If you received an email about a dormant account, you know for sure that you need to take action. However, that’s not foolproof. If your dormant account doesn’t have a recovery email set up, you’d never be notified in the first place.

If you have a bunch of alternate, backup Google accounts — as many do — here’s what you need to do.

Why iPhone NameDrop feature is not a security risk

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NameDrop in iOS 17
See that "Share" button? It's important.
Photo: Apple Support

Parents are mistakenly being warned that they need to quickly deactivate iOS 17’s NameDrop feature on their children’s iPhones. The warnings claim that it’s causing the devices to broadcast their contact information to anyone nearby.

This simply isn’t true.

Belkin extends top Cyber Monday deals on Apple accessories all week

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Belkin BoostCharge Pro charging pad with MagSafe
Belkin's BoostCharge Pro charging pad with MagSafe is an elegant (and portable) charging solution.
Photo: Belkin

Belkin, a big name in Apple accessories, is extending Cyber Monday deals on some of its best-selling products through Sunday, December 3, on Amazon.com (but note that some deals end Saturday. The company’s Amazon storefront showcases a diverse selection of tech accessories at discounts of up to 50% off.

So whether you need something for yourself or for someone on your holiday shopping list, check out Belkin’s sale. Everyone needs things like MagSafe chargers and iPhone mounts!

Last chance: Save on mega deals this Cyber Monday in the Cult of Mac Store

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Cyber Monday savings on Elago, Mifa, Laut and many more
Score Cyber Monday savings on Elago, Mifa, Laut and many more.
Photo: Adel/ Cult of Mac

Cyber Monday at the Cult of Mac store is a massive event you won’t want to miss. We’ve got deals on all kinds of accessories for all your Apple gear.

Get ready for incredible discounts, with savings of up to 75% on selected brands including Elago, Elkson, Mifa, Rilee & Lo, Laut, and many others. Don’t miss out on these fantastic offers!

6-display rig rocks Sonos home-theater sound [Setups]

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5-display Mac Studio and MacBook Pro setup with Sonos home-theater sound.
This expansive Mac Studio and MacBook Pro setup provides an audio-visual feast.
Photo: [email protected]

Some home computer setups go extra-large on visuals, others pump up quality sound — and some go nuts with both in equal measure.

Today’s featured Mac Studio and MacBook Pro setup features not only six exceptional displays — including Apple’s vaunted, $5,000 Pro Display XDR — it also adds a bonus sound system to its complete Sonos home-theater audio array.

Podurama app uses AI to make podcasts better than ever

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It's hard to find great podcasts, but not if you use the Podurama app.
It's hard to find great podcasts, but not if you use the Podurama app.
Image: Podurama

The world of podcasts is wide and deep, so finding great ones in the wilds of the internet can be daunting. But with the AI-powered Podurama app, you can find and organize podcasts to your heart’s content — and sync them for listening on various devices.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by Podurama.
Better yet, you can use Podurama for free. And if you want all the features, you can buy the lifetime premium version for half off right now!

Last call for 30% off great Laut accessories for iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch and more

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It comes in a nice array of colors.
It comes in a nice array of colors.
Photo: Laut

It’s that time of year when Black Friday and Cyber Monday seem to stretch for days and days. The Cult of Mac Store is offering 30% off a range of wonderful Laut accessories for Apple products through the end of the day Monday.

You can pick up a protective and colorful folio for your iPad, a luxurious steel mesh Apple Watch band, an iPhone 14 camera lens protector or a bike saddle mount for AirTag at great prices. See the whole Laut collection and some highlights below.

Best Cyber Monday Apple Deals: MacBooks, AirPods, Apple Watch and more

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Best Cyber Monday Apple deals
Check out these amazing Cyber Monday discounts on some popular Apple products.
Photo: Rajesh

Did you miss buying your favorite Apple gear or accessory during Black Friday? Do not worry, as Cyber Monday is here. This is probably your last chance to get a new MacBook, iPad, or Apple Watch at its lowest price before the holidays.

You can get the recently launched M3 MacBook Pro with a 10-core GPU for just $1,449 ($150 off). You can score even bigger discounts of up to $250 on the 15-inch MacBook Air. The Apple Pencil 2 is also down to its new lifetime low price of $79.99 after a massive $49 off.

While Apple is running its own shopping event for Cyber Monday, you should look at deals from third-party retailers, as they are offering bigger discounts. However, as always, these prices could change at any time and/or the products could sell out.

Monarch is a Godzilla-size hit for Apple TV+

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Godzilla in
Godzilla fans pushed "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" to near the top of the popularity chart.
Photo: Apple TV+

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters stomped onto the list of most popular shows on any streaming service this week. Even better, the Apple TV+ series with Godzilla and other kaiju debuted near the top of the list, according to a market analysis.

At the same time, Brie Larson’s Lessons in Chemistry continued to draw a big audience, week after week.

Block ads and trackers to speed up your web browsing

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Control D protects the privacy of your whole family for $27.99.
Save on a five-year sub to Control D, which works with any internet-connected device.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

No one likes being tracked across the web and bombarded with ads. If you want to restore some privacy, Control D offers complete protection across all your devices — and you can get a five-year subscription today for only $27.99 using coupon code CONTROL.

While Safari offers a small amount of built-in protection, the internet is becoming harder and harder to use without an ad blocker. There are simply too many ads, pop-ups and trackers to navigate easily. No matter what browser you use, Control D can make the web better. Rated a perfect five stars on Product Hunt, this powerful privacy app is packed full of useful features.

Apple Store hands out $200 gift cards during Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale

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Apple Store Black Friday Deal
The Apple Store Shopping Event runs through Black Friday to Cyber Monday.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s own Black Friday/Cyber Monday special offers bundle gift cards of up to $200 with selected products. There are bargains on these devices available from other retailers but some prefer to buy straight from Apple.

The Apple Store Shopping Event started on November 24 (Black Friday) and runs through November 27 (Cyber Monday).

Pick up Microsoft Office Pro for your Windows partition for just $59.97

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Get Microsoft Office Pro for your Windows partition for $59.97.
Get the Windows version of Microsoft Office Pro at a fraction of its normal cost.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you need to run Windows on your Mac for work purposes, you still need the right software to get things done. Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is the perfect toolbox, and you can get it for just $59.97 in a Black Friday/Cyber Week price drop.

Of course, the world’s most popular software suite works on PCs, too!

Apple Black Friday deals: AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad and more [Held over!]

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Illustrative graphic with the text 'Best Apple Black Friday deals'
There are some great deals to be had on Apple gear and accessories during the 2023 Black Friday sales.
Photo: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

Update: Black Friday might be over but the deals certainly are not. Many of the best deals on Apple products are still live and you can score some hefty discounts on them this shopping season. In fact, some of these deals disappeared for a while on Black Friday — like the iPad (9th gen) for just $229 (save $100) — then reappeared at some point!

For starters, don’t miss this killer deal on AirPods Pro 2 (with USB-C) for just $189 (save $60) — this is the best price we’ve seen on the best AirPods you can get. Plus, Apple Watch SE (2nd gen., 2022) is down to just $179 (save $70) — the SE is a great gift for someone this Xmas. Or, if you are shopping for yourself, the latest Apple Watch Series 9 is just $329 (save $70).

There are lots of great Apple deals to be had on Black Friday 2023 — just not from Apple itself. Apple is usually pretty stingy when it comes to Black Friday (Tim Cook loves his margins!). This year, you can get an Apple gift card worth up to $200 when you splash out on select products, but the latest and greatest — iPhone 15, M3 MacBook Pros, iMac, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 — are not included.

However, there are great savings on Apple products from third-party retailers like Best Buy, B&H Photo, Target and Walmart. All these stores offer significant discounts on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPads, iPhones and more. Here are the best deals on Apple gear we’ve found.