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Stunning Mac mini streaming rig took 2 years to perfect [Setups]

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Setups RetroGameCollector-Reddit
Check the links list below to explore all the gear here.
Photo: [email protected]

It might seem unlikely that a computer setup could take 2 years to build and idealize — until you see just how loaded and beautiful it is. Today’s M2 Pro Mac mini went through many iterations in the past couple of years, its user said, and now they’re finally happy with it.

And they should be. The setup rips through gaming and streaming tasks using an awesome lineup of gear. Read more below and check out that gear list.

New USB-C Apple Pencil is lower in price but not usability [Review] ★★★★

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Apple Pencil (USB-C)★★★★
The first budget Apple Pencil is the iPad stylus students and businesspeople have been looking for.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The just-launched Apple Pencil includes USB-C charging, making it easy to use with the budget iPad. While top quality, the new model doesn’t have all the features of Apple Pencil 2 but costs $50 less.

I tested the stylus with my iPad and found reasons to like it even more than the premium version.

Carterjett nylon Apple Watch bands rise to all occasions with comfort

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For beach combing, a workout, the workday, a hot date -- Carterjett nylon Apple Watch bands fit in everywhere.
For beach combing, a workout, the workday, a hot date -- Carterjett nylon Apple Watch bands fit in everywhere.
Photo: Carterjett

Many people associate leather and stainless steel with watch bands for both analog and smart watches, but nylon seems to be on the rise for a lot of good reasons. Straps like the Carterjett Nylon Apple Watch Band offer lightweight comfort, flexibility and waterproof durability that looks good in a lot of situations.

And you can get the Carterjett Nylon Apple Watch Bands in 11 color choices from just $32.99 in the Cult of Mac Store.

Fresh iOS, watchOS and macOS patches launch to squash bugs

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iOS 17.1.1
iOS 17.1.1 is one of four bug fix patches Apple released on Tuesday.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple just introduced iOS 17.1.1 to patch a nasty glitch with BMW cars. And there’s watchOS 10.1.1, a promised fix for a battery bug affecting many Apple Watch users.

Plus Mac users can now install macOS Sonoma 14.1.1 with its own bug patches. And don’t overlook iPadOS 17.1.1.

Apple gets ready to make much better batteries

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iPhone and other Apple devices may have much better batteries within a couple of years.
iPhone and other Apple devices may have much better batteries within a couple of years.
Photo: PBKreviews

Apple is developing greatly improved batteries for its future devices, according to a new report. It appears the iPhone-maker wants to create a custom process in-house and own it — rather than outsourcing — just like it did with Apple silicon chips.

Cat-based cyberpunk adventure Stray about to pounce onto Mac

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'Stray
Stray is an award-winning game coming soon to Mac.
Image: Annapurna Interactive/BlueTwelve Studio

Mac gamers can soon enjoy Stray. Players become a cat wandering through a cyberpunk city in this very popular and award winning title. It’ll debut for macOS in only a few weeks.

The macOS release is well timed to fit with Apple’s new push for Mac gaming.

How to fix software updates on your brand-new MacBook Pro

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Install macOS Sonoma on M3 MacBook Pro
Fix software updates on your new MacBook Pro.
Photo: Apple

Some lucky first-day owners of the new M3 MacBook Pro unboxed their machines Tuesday to discover a reversal of fortune: Their new Macs arrived with a broken version of macOS that can’t install software updates.

Some MacBook Pros shipped to customers with an unreleased (well, more like unintentionally released) build of macOS Ventura 13.5. This version can’t be updated to macOS Sonoma through the standard Software Update feature in System Preferences.

Here’s how to fix the admittedly rare problem.

Commandos kidnap one of Gary Oldman’s Slow Horses in season 3 trailer

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Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses
Gary Oldman's Jackson Lamb has seen better days. And better spies.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is cranking up the action in espionage-thriller series Slow Horses, if the season 3 trailer it dropped Tuesday is any indication.

Dissipated Cold War-era spy Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) sees his Slough House crew of remedial MI5 agents come under major attack, and one of them is kidnapped by an elite military unit. Is it an inside job? Per previous seasons, the Slow Horses tend to get in trouble with their more-accomplished MI5 colleagues.

iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 8 Pro: 5x telephoto shootout

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iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Google Pixel 8 Pro: 5x zoom comparison
Just how good is the iPhone's new 5x zoom?
Graphics: Rajesh

The iPhone 15 Pro Max utilizes Apple’s most impressive photographic tech yet, but it’s not the first smartphone with a 5x telephoto camera. In the Android world, you will find several phones with 5x to 10x optical zoom.

Only Samsung’s and Google’s devices deliver image quality capable of competing with Apple’s best. Only Google’s Pixel lineup directly competes with the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x optical shooter. (Samsung is ahead of the competition with its 10x periscope lens.)

So which 5x zoom is the best? See our side-by-side comparison shots to see how the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x tetraprism zoom stacks up against the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Nice-guy dad remembers how to kill in The Family Plan trailer

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The Family Plan trailer
New action comedy “The Family Plan,” with Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan, comes to Apple TV+ December 15.
Photo:

Nice-guy dad. Loving wife. Eye-rolling teens. Cute and happy baby. The trailer Apple TV+ dropped Monday for action-comedy film The Family Plan really has it all — including tons and tons of killing.

Mark Wahlberg stars as assassin-turned-straight-arrow husband and dad whose past rushes back in a hail of bullets, even as he still tries to hide everything from wife Michelle Monaghan and the kids. The movie premieres December 15 on Apple TV+.

Apple makes editing video easier with Final Cut Pro update

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Apple makes editing video easier with Final Cut Pro update
Updates to Final Cut Pro video-editing software for Mac or iPad offer new features that help streamline workflows.
Image: Apple

The upcoming Final Cut Pro version 10.7 brings in improvements to timeline navigation and organization, as well as new changes that Apple says will simplify complex edits.

And Final Cut Pro for iPad 1.3 includes new features intended to enhance using the professional-grade video-editing application on a touchscreen.

Apply for jobs faster (and smarter!) with LazyApply

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Use AI to widen your career search with this $49.97 job application tool.
Use AI to widen your career search with this $49.97 job-application tool.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Some people might enjoy the thrill of the hunt while on the prowl for wild game, romantic partners or even retail bargains — but no one has ever used the phrase when searching for a new job. Filling out applications is a tedious and often heartbreaking process, made all the more confusing by the rise of applicant tracking software, aka ATS.

Luckily, there’s an AI-powered job application tool that can help: LazyApply. And lifetime access to this tool costs just $49.97 (regularly $149) through November 9. There’s no need to wait for the new year to track down a new career. You could even gift this time-saving tool to a colleague, student or friend!

This solid metal boom arm mounts your microphone and more [Review] ★★★☆☆

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Kuxiu X36 boom arm with a RØDE NT-USB+ microphone positioned in front of a Mac★★★☆☆
The Kuxiu X36 is a good boom arm for your audio-video equipment.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

The Kuxiu X36 Boom Mic Arm is a solid metal piece of gear for mounting a microphone to your desk. It has a clean, logo-free design that blends in with any setup.

Unlike other boom arms, the Kuxiu X36 isn’t free-floating and adjustable with a single finger — it’s a firm stand that will hold its position. It’s split into three segments, not just two, so it’s nonetheless highly adjustable.

After some months of testing, I was surprised to find a much better use for it than mounting my microphone. Read on to see what it’s best for.

Apple’s new M3 iMac and MacBook Pros hit store shelves

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The top two new MacBook Pro models now come in a space black aluminum finish.
You can now get your hands on the M3 MacBook Pro or iMac.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new M3 iMac and MacBook Pros are now officially on sale in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and select other countries. If you live in one of those locations, you can pick up the latest iMac or M3-powered MacBook Pro from your nearest Apple Store.

The new M3 Max MacBook Pro will go on sale later in November.

Pre-Black Friday deal: Get a lifetime of web hosting for just $30

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Don't wait until Black Friday to score iBrave cloud web hosting for under $30.
For a limited time, you can get a lifetime subscription to iBrave web hosting for just $30.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether it’s for professional opportunities, to boost your portfolio, or anything else, having your own website can be an invaluable addition to your digital presence. However, it’s not always affordable to host your own website.

Now, you can score pre-Black Friday savings on a cloud-based website hosting service, iBrave. Through November 9, you can get lifetime access to iBrave’s Professional Plan for only $29.97 (regularly $539)!

Football Manager 2024 Touch now playing on Apple Arcade’s pitch

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'Football Manager 2024 Touch' on iPad
Show you have what it takes to manage a club in Football Manager 2024 Touch.
Photo: Apple

Players can create a soccer club dynasty in Football Manager 2024 Touch. The newest version of the team management simulation game from Sega & Sports Interactive challenges players to be the boss of one of the world’s best clubs.

It launched Monday on Apple Arcade, where its playable on a range of devices, including iPhone and Mac.

Logic Pro gains powerful music tools for Mac and iPad

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Apple enhanced the musical user experience in Logic Pro for Mac and iPad.
Apple enhanced the musical user experience in Logic Pro for Mac and iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple said Monday it updated its Logic Pro music software to help spark users’ creativity and let them produce pro-level tracks.

New features for Mac include Mastering Assistant, 32-bit recording, Sample Alchemy and Beat Breaker. And Quick Sampler Recorder adds to the slate of iPad features.

Don’t hold your breath for a new 27-inch iMac

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Three kids huddle in front of a red iMac powered by Apple's M3 chip.
Apple apparently thinks a 24-inch iMac is plenty big enough.
Photo: Apple

If you’ve been holding your breath waiting for a new 27-inch iMac, it’s time to inhale: Apple reportedly has no plans to produce such a computer.

The news, which doubtless will disappoint fans of all-in-one Apple computers hoping for a bigger screen, comes straight from Apple itself.

2023 iMac reviews: Speedy M3 chip makes all the difference

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2023 iMac M3
The 2023 iMac is intended for use in the home, not the office.
Photo: Apple

Fans of all-in-one desktops are about to get the improved iMac they’ve been waiting for. The first reviews of the 2023 version are out and they’re full of praise for performance gains that that come with the new Apple M3 processor.

“The 2023 edition of the 24-inch Apple iMac is a real pleasure to use, and arguably the best all-in-one desktop when it comes to the amount and variety of tasks it can accomplish,” said the PCMag reviewer.

AirTag 4-pack nears all-time low in pre-Black Friday deal

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AirTag
Save big on AirTag 4-pack.
Photo: Mark Chan/Unsplash

If you keep misplacing important items in your daily life, AirTags should be an indispensable item in your kit. One AirTag might not be enough, so you should consider buying Apple’s discounted AirTag four-pack. And if you take advantage of Amazon’s latest deal, you can score a decent 12% discount off the regular price of $99.

Right now, you can get an AirTag four-pack for $86.88. That’s just $21.72 apiece.

All M3 MacBook pros reviewed: Same cars, better engines

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Apple M3 chip family
Apple unveiled the M3 and didn't make Mac users wait for the M3 Pro and M3 Max.
Image: Apple

To paraphrase many of the M3 MacBook Pro reviews coming out Monday, Apple’s new lineup is like new car models that look like the old ones but have much better engines under the hood.

Other than the inclusion of blazing-fast M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max chips, reviewers made note of the new Space Black color for the M3 Pro and M3 Max MacBooks. And some poked a little fun at Apple for even having a MacBook Pro with an option for only 8GB of RAM (the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro model).

Star Wars fan converts old iMacs to Cinema Displays [Setups]

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There's a lot to look at in SE's setup, including 3D-printed
There's a lot to look at in SE's setup, including 3D-printed Star Wars figures like a BB-8 droid on the shelf next to the Xbox.
Photo: [email protected]

If you’ve got an old or damaged iMac lying around, why not make use of it? You can find plenty of guidance online to help you turn that dead weight into a version of Apple’s classic Cinema Display and use it with other Macs.

The owner of today’s setup talked about doing just that, plus using open-source software to make his old Macs run recent macOS versions.