Apple invited the world to a product-launch event on October 30. And the invitation strongly suggests that new Macs will be on the agenda.

It’s not surprising — leaks coming out of Cupertino already said the event will bring updated MacBooks and an iMac.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The collection on sale includes a variety of cases for iPhone 14, 13, 12, 11 and SE. Just remember to use coupon code cultofmac on the product page when you buy.

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 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.

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.

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.

If you want to see just how far drone technology has come, here’s a shining example that went on sale just in time for the holidays. The Ninja Dragons Blade X is a dual-camera 4K drone that hits all the marks whether you’re flying for fun or looking for Hollywood-quality aerial footage — and it’s only $80 for a limited time.

But this deal won’t last long!

The Chinese government began multiple investigations into Foxconn, the Taiwanese company that assembles the iPhone, MacBooks and other Apple devices in China.

There are suspicions that the investigations are politically motivated: Foxconn founder Terry Gou is running for president of Taiwan.

In this week’s Awesome Apps roundup, we have a major update to Dungeon Hunter, a beloved RPG game; an RSS reader that can keep track of pretty much everything online; and a handy app for seeing what’s playing next in Apple Music.

Update: This report has now been confirmed. On Tuesday, Apple invited the world to watch a product event on October 30. The theme is “scary fast.”

Fresh MacBooks and an iMac might be the highlights of an Apple event the last week of October, according to a high-profile tipster.

Exactly what’s on the agenda isn’t yet clear, but there are a number of strong possibilities, including some potential surprises.

AI is all the hype currently. And while Google, Amazon and Microsoft have gone all-in on generative AI, Apple has not made any notable announcements.

This could change next year, as the Cupertino giant is working on adding several AI features to iOS 18.

If you know someone on the job hunt or are in this process yourself, it may be a smart idea to gift them and yourself Resoume, an AI-powered resume, portfolio and cover letter builder. Through October 23rd, you can get a lifetime subscription for only $29.97 (reg. $180).

Alleged photos of a HomePod prototype with an LCD screen on top have surfaced online. They showcase the smart speaker with a big touch-based LCD panel on top.

Apple’s current-gen HomePod has a small touch surface on top for controlling music playback and volume.

As far back as I could remember, Martin Scorsese has been synonymous with the movies. Now Apple TV+ has financed his latest work, an adaptation of David Grann’s true crime novel The Killers of the Flower Moon about the death of a native American community and the birth of the FBI to the tune of $200 million.

Killers of the Flower Moon will go down as one of the director’s boldest and most furious statements in a career full of them.

Brie Larson as a frustrated scientist with a love of cooking is a recipe for a hit series on Apple TV+. After premiering earlier this month, Lessons in Chemistry is already the second most popular series or film on streaming, according to a market analysis.

New episodes debut every week on Apple’s streaming service.

AI-driven technology can be super helpful and time-saving. Those who know how to develop and manage it are in high demand worldwide, and with this bundle, you and whoever you gift it to could harness the power of AI to boost productivity.

To get ahead of the holiday shopping season, consider hopping on this deal for the 2023 Ultimate Artificial Intelligence and Automation Developer Bundle, which is only $49.97 (reg. $234) through October 23rd.

If you or someone you know has an interest in IT, the field of cybersecurity is something to consider. Since our world has become increasingly digital, it makes sense that the demand for cybersecurity professionals and IT experts is soaring. In fact, videos about cybersecurity have over 1.2 billion views on TikTok alone (per ExplodingTopics.com). 

Dungeon Hunter 6, the new installment in the long-running RPG series, offers heaps of fantasy-themed battle. It’s a mix of real-time fighting and strategy, and offers a fun look to its characters and many, many monsters.

It’s a free to play game for iPhone and iPad, with in-app purchases.