iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1 are here with several big and small changes. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
iOS 17.1, the first major point release of iOS 17, is here. It drops just over a month after iOS 17 arrived.
Alongside iOS 17.1, Apple is also releasing iPadOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1 to the public today. Below is a look at some of the top new features in the OSes.
The Apple M3 is almost here, and it’s reportedly going into multiple Macs. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
After Apple invited the world to its Scary Fast product event Monday, speculation turned more seriously to the idea that newly announced Macs might sport faster new M3 chips rather than versions of the current M2 series chips.
One prominent analyst who had said the upgrade wouldn’t happen yet even changed his tune on the matter.
Two cheap LED lights strips create that whole effect, and with many light strips the colors can change endlessly. Photo: [email protected]
Deliberate lighting choices, especially those featuring vibrant colors, can do a lot for a computer setup. They can improve mood and vision, and they can even give humdrum gear in a boring room a dazzling look and feel.
Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup belongs to a coder in Panama who used some basic, cheap LED strip lights to transform his workstation into a light show — to the delight of viewers on social media.
Wrangling Bluetooth should work this way out of the box, but luckily, there’s AirBuddy to help. Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
AirBuddy is a handy Mac app that lets you monitor all your nearby Bluetooth devices and AirPods. You can check battery life, switch them back and forth between multiple Macs on your desk, and best of all — get the same beautiful AirPods animations that you see on your iPhone.
It offers granular Bluetooth controls that Apple should build right into macOS.
SwitchEasy's Origami case easily folds into four configurations for different uses. Photo: SwitchEasy
This week, Cult of Mac is giving away four Origami Protective Cases for iPad from SwitchEasy. This versatile iPad case folds in four different ways to make it easy to type, read or browse your iPad.
If you want a protective case that is also useful for relaxation or work, be sure to enter this giveaway.
Apple wants to make it easier to repair your broken iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Photo: Apple
During Tuesday’s right-to-repair event in the White House, Apple announced the expansion of its Self-Service Repair and Independent Repair Provider programs nationwide.
This move will help independent repair shops by providing them with the necessary tools and documentation for repairing Apple devices.
Calcullo is a simple calculator widget for your Home Screen. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
New in iOS 17 are interactive widgets on the Home Screen — that is, widgets that can do things, not just passively show information — and a handy one is Calcullo.
Calcullo is a $1.99 calculator widget for your Home Screen that makes it easy to tap out quick calculations on the fly.
Get a helping hand from ChatGPT prompts with this $30 guide. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
We all can get overwhelmed with work that needs to be done. And in a time where many industries are short on staff, professionals are taking on more work than should be expected of them. Money.com reports, “U.S. workers typically put in 400 more hours on the job every year compared to our counterparts in Germany.”
Apple may simplify its TV app for users by the end of the year. Photo: Apple
Apple hopes to grab a bigger slice of the streaming pie through a redesign of its TV app late this year that will help consolidate the company’s video offerings, a new report said Tuesday.
Yup, those are new Barbie dolls based on three "Ted Lasso" characters. Photo: Mattel Creations
Breakout Apple TV+ comedy hit Ted Lasso may no longer be in production, but it’s never really gone. That’s not only because it’s streaming, it’s because officially related products like the new Barbie Signature dolls keep coming out.
That’s right, Mattel Creations released three new dolls Tuesday based on characters from the show — Ted Lasso, Rebecca Welton and Keely Jones. Step right up, they’re $50 apiece.
A late-October Apple event is expected to bring out a collection of new Macs. Image: Apple
With Apple’s invitations sent, it’s official, a second Apple product-release event of autumn takes place the evening before Halloween — Monday, October 30 at 5 p.m. PT. Most folks expect some new Macs to shamble forth.
Scare up big savings on genuine Microsoft software. Just head to CdkeySales.com using these links. And don’t forget to enter promo code CULT to get extra savings. Photo: CdkeySales.com
With Halloween almost here, it’s time to scare up big savings on Microsoft’s crucial productivity software — Windows and Office. Surprising bargains lurk in the Halloween Sale at CdkeySales.com.
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Software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com offers frighteningly low prices. To get the most savings, enter promo code CULT. That cuts an additional 30% off the site’s low prices on software keys. And what’s more, you get a free upgrade to Windows 11 when you buy Windows 10.
You can use Face ID or Touch ID to sign into Amazon via a passkey. Image: Amazon
Add Amazon to the list of tech giants throwing their weight behind passkeys. With the new system, customers can shop online or in Amazon’s apps without passwords. Passkeys are considered safer and easier.
Apple, Google and others have already started their own move away from passwords.
iPhone 15 is available with up to $200 off in China. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple’s latest iPhones are available with deep discounts of up to $200 in China. Many analysts believe Apple’s iPhone 15 series has been doing poorly in China.
The slowdown in sales has caused online Chinese e-commerce companies to offer hefty discounts on the new iPhones.
Streamline your work with Microsoft Office and master Microsoft for only $30. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
It’s never a bad time to update your office tools, and when it comes to productivity, there’s one suite that stands above the rest: Microsoft Office. Students, professionals and home users alike can benefit from this top-rated suite, which can even make an excellent holiday gift for a loved one.
Multiple new iPads could be just five months away. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
Spring 2024 could bring array of new iPad models, according to a reliable Apple tipster. This might include models from the smallest iPad mini to the largest iPad Pro.
Some of the changes will be only a faster processor, but other tablets will supposedly see more dramatic improvements.
Robert De Niro, left, and Leonardo DiCaprio bring plenty of star power to Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. Photo: Apple TV+
Martin Scorsese’s historical crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon saw both critical acclaim and solid box-office proceeds the opening weekend of it theatrical run ahead of its release on Apple TV+.
In terms of dollars, it placed second among movies in theaters now and third among films in Scorsese’s long directing career.
SwitchEasy's MagEasy lineup of iPhone cases is on sale. Photo: SwitchEasy
If you have an iPhone, you should probably protect that expensive gadget from drops and scrapes with a case. And it’ll change up your handset’s look, too. Good thing SwitchEasy is having a big sale on its MagEasy lineup — one case for 20% off and an additional 15% off when you buy two cases.
This isn't screen burn-in. It's an image retention problem that's fixed by iOS 17.1. Photo: spriteice/Reddit
Anyone with an iPhone 15 Pro should install iOS 17.1 when it launches this week, especially if their new handset seems to be suffering from screen burn-in. Turns out it’s not a hardware problem but the result of a software bug that gets fixed by the upcoming update.
Plus, there are other new features coming in iOS 17.1.
The Matter 2.1 update adds support for 9 new kinds of appliances and more. Photo: Connectivity Standards Alliance
The Matter connectivity standard helps different devices and smart-home platforms like Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa work together. And with an update Monday, it added nine home-appliance types and got other improvements, the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) behind it said.
Matter specification 2.1 adds support for refrigerators, dishwashers, laundry washers, robot vacuums, air-quality sensors, air purifiers, fans, stand-alone room air conditioners, and smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms.
Start with a new 16-inch M2 MacBook Pro, a CalDigit Thunderbolt 4 dock and a huge Samsung display, and go from there. Photo: [email protected]
Perhaps you’ve heard an expression often used in sports commentary — “so-and-so is running a clinic on this,” meaning showing anyone and everyone how it’s done.
Today’s featured computer setup comes from an Apple administrator who clearly knows how it’s done, if “it” is setting up a rock-solid and highly functional workstation.
★★★★☆
This router has a few tricks up its sleeve. It has an AT&T SIM card — but best of all, it didn’t come from AT&T. Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
EZ Internet Solutions is a rural internet service provider that can give you a solid cellular internet connection that’s truly unlimited — no data cap, no speed throttling. If you live in a spot without any internet infrastructure, but you do have a cell connection, it is a solid option you should consider.
EZ Internet Solutions offers cellular home internet in places AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile don’t. Contrast that with HughesNet, a popular satellite internet provider, which charges an arm and a leg only to give you a fraction of the speed.
I truly live in the middle of nowhere, and yet I’ve been using EZ Internet to live stream a video podcast every week for months without a hitch.