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15-inch MacBook Air drops to its lowest price after big $250 discount

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15-inch MacBook Air
This 15-inch MacBook Air deal is the one you should not miss.
Photo: Apple

Amazon is starting its Prime Big Deal Days early by discounting the 15-inch MacBook Air to its lowest price. Apple wants $1,299 for the entry-level 15-inch Air, but Amazon currently drops the price to just $1,049.

That’s a whopping $250 off the machine’s MSRP, making the world’s slimmest 15-inch laptop an even better offering.

Dual flying MacBooks flank external display and iPad [Setups]

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The user can't decide whether to leave the MacBooks like they are, or close them in clamshell mode.
The user can't decide whether to leave the MacBooks like they are, or close them in clamshell mode.
Photo: [email protected]

Today’s MacBook Pro setup presents a strange picture not just because of the image repeated on the four screens. It’s just weird seeing dual “flying” MacBooks and an iPad as part of a quad-display setup.

After writing about hundreds of computer setups spotted in the wild, we can’t remember one that featured a pair of MacBooks open on stands like that. And the user questions the choice, too, seeking to possibly save a ton of desk space.

Hands-on with 5 powerful accessibility features in iOS 17

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Awesome Features for the Rest of Us
What’s new in iOS accessibility? You might be surprised.
Image: Antonio Cruz/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

If you haven’t looked at any of Apple’s accessibility features because you’re not blind or deaf, and don’t think they would make your life easier, you might be surprised.

Apple built a handful of accessibility features into iOS 17 that let people with various disabilities use the iPhone in new and unexpected ways. However, absolutely anyone can take advantage of these tools, which prove surprisingly helpful in certain situations.

You can already get live captions to watch videos silently, lock your phone into one app to keep people from snooping around, play soothing ocean or forest sounds and more.

In iOS 17, five accessibility features take things even further. Assistive Access simplifies your phone to its bare features to make it easier to use; Live Speech and Personal Voice let you type on the keyboard to speak using your own voice; Detection Mode and Point and Speak help you get around using your iPhone camera.

Our hands-on demo will show you what these features can do for you.

Nab bargain-basement prices on MacBook Pro and Air while you can

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A variety of MacBook Pro and Air models from previous years is on sale now.
A variety of MacBook Pro and Air models from previous years is on sale now.
Photo: Apple

Amazon bargain site Woot! offers great deals in its MacBooks sale on both new and refurbished MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models.

As usual, Woot! has a little fun in the description at the top: “Somewhere there’s still an Apple IIe running ‘Leisure Suit Larry,'” it wrote.

The sale ends October 15 at 10 p.m. PT.

Bring primo sound wherever you go with new Soundcore Motion 300 [Review] ★★★★

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If space is at a premium, bring this little guy for big sound.★★★★
If space is at a premium, bring this little guy for big sound.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Summer outdoor activities are no more, but if you’ve got a fall hike or hay ride coming up, bring Soundcore’s compact new Motion 300 portable speaker. It’s one of the best of its kind.

It’s small, it’s tough, it looks good, it sounds great and it goes on sale today for $80. Soundcore got it right with the Motion 300, a 30-watt speaker with Wireless Hi-Res Certification and 13 hours of playtime.

Choose from long and super-long cuts of Ridley Scott’s Napoleon

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The long version tells more of Josephine's story.
The long version tells more of Josephine's story.
Photo: Apple TV+

Ridley Scott’s epic film Napoleon may come in a shorter theatrical release at 2 hours and 38 minutes as well as a director’s cut of 4 hours and 10 minutes (as of its last editing), the legendary director said. He suggested the long one will air on Apple TV+ after the short one’s theatrical release.

These $90 translation earbuds help you communicate in 37 languages

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A woman with a shaved head wears Mymanu Clik S translation earbuds.
Expand your global communication skills with $67 savings on these translation earbuds
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

From international travel to business dealings or personal interactions that require a global reach, communication can become a challenge when you’re not able to rely on your primary language. Avoid having things lost in translation by picking up an innovative product designed to relay information in nearly 40 different languages.

During our Fall Deal Days event, the Mymanu Clik S translation earbuds are available for only $89.97 (regularly $157) with no coupon required. This 42% savings lasts through Oct 15 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific, providing a low-priced opportunity to expand your conversation reach.

Best accessories for Apple Watch

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These are the best accessories you can buy for Apple Watch, including screen protectors, charging stands, wireless earbuds, and more.
Make Apple Watch even greater.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Got a new Apple Watch? The spending doesn’t stop there. It’s time to pick up some awesome Apple Watch accessories that will make using your device even better.

You’ll want a charging stand to enjoy Nightstand mode (and maybe even StandBy on your iPhone), a portable battery for top-ups on the go, a screen protector to keep your display free from scratches, and more. We rounded up the best options for you, so all you have to do is grab your wallet.

Hit the slopes, amuse your dog, and run a freelance biz [Awesome Apps]

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Jolly Pet dog game running on an iPad with dog looking on.
Jolly Pet is popular iPad game for canines -- and some humans too.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Awesome AppsThis week’s Awesome Apps include a comprehensive skiing and snowboarding app with a ton of features, an app for running every aspect of a freelance business, a social network for photographers that isn’t Instagram, and a simple iPad game for dogs that also helps some humans with their anxiety.

New iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro models are on the way

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iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad
All of Apple's iPad lines are up for a revamp.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple intends to update the entire iPad lineup in the coming months, according to information leaking out of the company. Details have come to light about models from the smallest iPad mini to the largest iPad Pro.

Included on the list are tablets that haven’t been updated in a couple of years.

Here’s what to expect.

Latest iOS 17 patch marginally improves older iPhone battery life

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iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 has a better battery life under iOS 17.0.3 than it did with iOS 17.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

iOS 17.0.3 increases the battery life of nearly all older iPhones. However, tests done on a variety of models found that the patch released this week generally doesn’t make dramatic improvements.

That said, there’s very good news for anyone still using an iPhone XR.

Macs get ready to heat up as iPhone 15 cools down [The CultCast]

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CultCast 615- MacBook Pro rumors.
Are we really going to see new MacBooks before the year ends?
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest MacBook rumor sounds enticing, but will it come true? It’s time to speculate. Meanwhile, the real fire talk is all about that big, toasty iPhone 15 Pro Max. Apple’s iOS 17 update fixes the overheating problem. (Frankly, “Thermalgate” seems about as overblown as “Printgate.”)

Also on The CultCast:

  • Did Apple screw up the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action button? We debate our fearless leader Leander Kahney’s controversial stance on the subject.
  • Apple’s got a secret plan to own its microLED display chain.
  • If you don’t like macOS Sonoma’s brilliant one-click desktop reveal, we’ll tell you how to turn it off. (We’ll try not to think less of you if you do.)
  • On the 12th anniversary of Steve Jobs’ death, we ponder the state of Apple’s leadership and vision.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Get productive with Windows 11 Pro for less than $30

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Get productive with Windows 11 Pro for less than $30 this fall.
The regular price for Windows 11 Pro is $199, but you're not gonna pay that, right?
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Your computer is only as good as its operating system — and for millions of PC users, that means Windows. Now there’s no reason to go without the latest version of Microsoft’s OS (even on used devices), thanks to a special fall promo price of $29.97 on Windows 11 Pro.

Note: This deal, which lets you install Windows 11 Pro on up to three computers, is only good through October 15.

Top 7 Macs that Apple should make

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The Mac lineup has never looked better.
Apple makes a lot of Macs, but they still leave some stones unturned.
Photo: Apple

The transition from Intel processors to Apple silicon changed every Mac for the better … almost. But there are a few niches in the lineup that have yet to be filled.

While Apple’s computers are best-in-class, there are a few categories the company does not currently compete in. These are the top seven Macs that Apple doesn’t make.

Exclusive deal: Host unlimited websites for life for less than $40

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Enjoy reliable cloud web hosting for life for less than $40 with this exclusive deal.
Score this limited-time deal for unlimited website hosting.
Photo: Cult of MAc Deals

If you run any sort of business, you need an online presence, and that means you need web hosting. But, subscribing to cloud hosting can become expensive, especially with monthly or annual subscriptions that lock you into indefinite payments.

Fortunately, you can pay once and forget ever paying again with lifetime access to iBrave cloud web hosting. Usually priced at $539, you can now grab it for only $39.97. You’ll have to act fast, though, since this exclusive price drop only lasts through October 15.

The ultimate in pet entertainment: Jolly Dog [Awesome Apps]

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Jolly Pet dog game running on an iPad with dog looking on.
Jolly Pet is popular iPad game for canines -- and some humans too.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Awesome AppsJolly Dog, an iPad game for dogs, is rapidly climbing the App Store charts, thanks to viral gameplay clips on social media.

Originally released in 2016, the app currently ranks No. 27 on the top free iPad apps in the United States, according to App Figures, a market research firm that provides app analytics.

I couldn’t get our dog interested in it, but plenty of pet owners say it provides lots of gameplay fun — and not just for their furry friends. Some humans enjoy playing it, too.

New teardown video zooms in 7,000x on iPhone 15 guts

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This borrowed microscope lets the video zoom in thousands of times on iPhone 15 components.
This borrowed microscope lets the video zoom in thousands of times on iPhone 15 components.
Photo: iFixit

iFixit brought in a new toy for its iPhone 15 teardown video Friday — an Olympus DSX1000 digital microscope. That enabled magnification of up to 7,000x on the tiny bits inside Apple’s newest base handset.

Watch the video below and see some shots from it above and below.

Hands-on with Spigen’s iMac-inspired iPhone 15 case [Review]

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Three of Spigen's limited-edition Classic C1 MagFit cases, inspired by 1998's iconic iMac G3.
Spigen's limited-edition Classic C1 MagFit case is inspired by 1998's iconic iMac G3.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

One of my favorite iPhone cases of all time is Spigen’s Classic C1 MagFit case. Inspired by the iconic iMac G3, the translucent case is strong, protective, easy to get on and off, and inexpensive.

I used a similar Spigen case all last year to protect my iPhone 14. The case now looks worse for wear, but the iPhone remains pristine.

Spigen updated the case in a limited run for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, and in my hands-on testing, it’s as good as ever.

See where Tim Cook sits on list of employees’ fave CEOs

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A survey ranked Tim Cook fourth most-popular CEO, according to employees.
A survey ranked Tim Cook fourth most-popular CEO, according to employees.
Image: Canva

Apple CEO Tim Cook place fourth on a list ranking CEOs by popularity according to employees. Blind Workplace Insights released it this week.

Tech, e-commerce and finance leaders dominated the high end of the Blind professional social network’s list. But tech firms were no stranger to the low end, either.

Nanoleaf gets festive with most advanced holiday string lights yet

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However you celebrate in the deep, dark winter, these lights can help.
However you celebrate in the deep, dark winter, these lights can help.
Photo: Nanoleaf

New Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Holiday String Lights — with support for the new Matter standard and all smart-home plaforms, including HomeKit — are coming in time for winter holidays, the company said Thursday.

Or maybe even in time for Halloween, for that matter. At any rate, it’s almost time to get festive.

Dual Magic Trackpads? But why? [Setups]

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This guy claims two Magic Trackpads is the way to go.
This guy claims two Magic Trackpads is the way to go.
Photo: [email protected]

From time to time we see setups with both a Magic Trackpad and a mouse because of their different peculiarities — mainly because many people find trackpads especially good for gesturing. But why would you use two Magic Trackpads?

Well, today’s MacBook Pro setup with dual Studio Displays and dual Magic Trackpads provides a use case.

iOS 17 adoption moves at a trickle

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iPhone with an iOS 17 logo
Odds are your iPhone doesn't run iOS 17. Adoption of Apple's latest mobile operating system is downright anemic.
Photo: Cult of Mac

In the weeks since iOS 17 launched, just a small percentage of iPhone owners have adopted it, according to an analytics firm. This is despite the fact that the new version is freely available for every iPhone going back five years.

Users may have been made cautious by Apple’s need to rush out three patches to fix bugs since the big update.

Score waterproof, sweatproof AirPods alternatives for just $23

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Save more than $45 on these top-rated AirPod alternatives, less than $23 today.
Grab these AirPod alternatives loved by users.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’ve ever lost your AirPods, first, we apologize for dredging up the trauma. Second, you likely know how useful it is to have a handy alternative if and when the inevitable happens.

The Flux 7 TWS wireless earbuds make for a great low-price option. And right now, you can score them with a wireless charging case/power bank for only $22.97 (regularly $69). You’ll have to act fast, though, since this deal ends October 15!

Get $20 off this top-rated investment app

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Invest the smart way with this stock screening app — $99 through October 15th.
Get a Tykr stock screener premium subscription for less than $100.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

To a lot of new investors, the stock market can seem like glorified gambling. And of course, that’s exactly what it would be if you picked your stocks out of a hat without any preparation. While there’s always an element of risk, it’s always about staying informed – and that’s exactly what Tykr helps you do.

This stock-screening tool is the perfect companion for first-time investors, who can now get a lifetime subscription for $99.97 (regularly $900), thanks to a limited-time fall promo.

Best bands you can buy today for Apple Watch Series 9

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Graphic showing various best Apple Watch bands for Series 9 and previous.
These are the best bands for Apple Watch in any situation.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

One of the best things about Apple Watch is the insanely wide range of awesome bands to go with it. If, like me, you’re addicted to buying bands for your Apple Watch, we’ve rounded up some of the best you can buy today to help you out.

All our picks work with Apple Watch Series 9, as well as previous versions of the device. Just be sure to pick the right size.