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Tilting iPhone platform sets 100W multidevice GaN charger apart [Review] ★★★★☆

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This unusual GaN charger juices up MagSafe iPhones via the tilting platform and other devices via USB-C and USB-A ports (up to 100W).★★★★☆
This unusual GaN charger juices up MagSafe iPhones via the tilting platform and other devices via USB-C and USB-A ports (up to 100W).
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Need a compact and potent MagSafe charging station to replace a slow 3-in-1? Coming out just after iPhone 15’s release, Ugreen’s unusual new Nexode 100W GaN Charging Station could fit the bill, charging up to four devices at once.

Rolled out Thursday, the speedy charger takes up a small space by putting a MagSafe platform for iPhone that tilts up on top and USB-C and USB-A ports in the squat body. The company sent me one to try.

Costco’s famous savings start the instant you jump on this deal

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Sweet deal! Save on a Costco membership.
Costco savings seem even sweeter with this deal.
Photo: JJBers/Flickr CC/Modified by Cult of Mac

Shopping on a budget isn’t easy, especially when you have to run from store to store to get all your errands done. That’s a waste of gas and a waste of time! Cut down on trips without limiting your selection by shopping at Costco instead.

With a Costco membership, you’ll save on high-quality items, from groceries to Apple gear. And now, you can get a one-year Costco Gold Star Membership plus a $30 Digital Costco Shop Card* for just $60.

iPhone 15 Pro demand overwhelms Apple [Updated]

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The Pro lineup color choices.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are already in short supply.
Photo: Apple

Anyone who even slightly delayed ordering the new iPhone 15 Pro models when they went on sale Friday morning faces a lengthy wait for their devices to be delivered. The delays extend into November for some handsets and configurations.

In addition, problems marred the preorder process via the online Apple Store, possibly due to high demand for the new titanium Pro phones.

Apple confirms iPhone 12 software update in France to reduce RF radiation

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iPhone 12 review
iPhone 12's high radiation level is not a cause for concern.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple will roll out a software update for the iPhone 12 in France to meet the required radio-frequency radiation levels. The company had to stop selling the iPhone 12 in the region due to RF radiation concerns.

A French regulatory body will test and approve the update. After that, Apple can resume iPhone 12 sales in the country.

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro preorders go live [Updated]

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The iPhone 15 Pro models feature a strong and lightweight new titanium design.
Time to place your iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro preorder.
Photo: Apple

Apple began accepting preorders for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro series early Friday morning. The company showcased the devices earlier this week during its “Wonderlust” event.

Unlike last year, when Apple staggered the iPhone release dates, the entire iPhone 15 lineup will begin shipping a week from now on September 22.

Get the awesome new Modular Ultra Apple Watch face

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Apple Watch Ultra with the Modular Ultra face
With eight complications, the new Modular Ultra face can show a lot of info.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple is about to launch a cool new watch face for the Apple Watch Ultra called “Modular Ultra.” If you’re looking for more variety, check out the 50 best Apple Watch faces to find the perfect look for your device.
The new face does a lot: It allows up to eight complications, including the customizable bezel that can show water depth, elevation or seconds. I think it looks super-cool. And just wait until you see the night mode.

If you saw the new watch face during the Apple Watch Ultra 2 segment of Apple’s “Wonderlust” event Tuesday and want it right now, you’re in luck: It works with the original Apple Watch Ultra and is already available in the latest watchOS 10 beta.

Here’s how to download, install and customize it.

Hop on the AI train with this program for beginners

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Build a strong foundation in ML and AI with this program for beginners, now just $30.
Interested in a career in artificial intelligence and machine learning? This $30 program can help you build a strong foundation.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Just like artificial intelligence, which exploded into the mainstream recently, machine learning is the future. While most of us have heard about AI and how it’s changing how everything works with programs like ChatGTP, machine learning might not be as well-known.

Machine learning is a specific branch of AI that focuses on using data and algorithms to imitate how humans learn, with a gradual improvement in accuracy. According to an article on LinkedIn, both are rapidly growing fields. This Machine Learning for Absolute Beginners program can give you a solid foundation if you’re considering a career in either area. It’s now only $29.99 (regularly $300).

Versatile new 4-in-1 MagSafe charger takes unusual form

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You can see in the photograph how the MagSafe charging pad for iPhone can sit flush or tilt up.
You can see in the photograph how the MagSafe charging pad for iPhone can sit flush or tilt up.
Photo: Ugreen

The new Ugreen Nexode 100W GaN Charging Station, rolled out Thursday, combines MagSafe charging for iPhone with GaN USB-C charging for other devices in a compact form factor, the company said.

I’ll have an in-depth review of the new charger, which Ugreen said is ideal for home and on-the-go use with the new iPhone 15 and other MagSafe iPhones, on Friday.

Brie Larson’s subversion heats up new Lessons in Chemistry trailer

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This cooking show comes with some broiling-hot commentary.
This cooking show comes with some broiling-hot commentary.
Photo: Apple

Frustrated young scientist Brie Larson explores her love of cooking — it’s chemistry, after all — and her distaste for the patriarchy in the second trailer for upcoming limited series Lessons in Chemistry. Apple TV+ set it on the table for hungry viewers Thursday.

Larson plays a young scientist in the 1950s who is wrongly terminated from a lab job before becoming host of a cooking show where women’s rights serve as a crucial ingredient. You can have a bigger bite when the series debuts October 13.

Sell your old iPhone, Apple Watch and more in time to upgrade

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watchOS Beta
We can help you pay for your next Apple Watch.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The entire iPhone 15 lineup goes up for preorder from Apple’s online store tomorrow morning. They might be pricey — in fact, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the most expensive iPhone yet — but there’s an easy way you can earn some quick cash to help you pay for them.

Sell your old Apple devices to Cult of Mac!

Our buyback program makes it incredibly easy to turn your old iPhone, Apple Watch and other gear into real cash. And we typically pay more than any other service. What’s more, you can get a quote now and hold onto your device until your upgrade arrives. Click here to learn more.

Find out how much you could save on your next upgrade today.

Here’s your chance to get $200 off M2 MacBook Air

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This deal is on the M2 MacBook Air in Midnight, but you can find other laptops on sale, too.
This deal is on the M2 MacBook Air in Midnight, but you can find other laptops on sale, too.
Photo: Best Buy

How would you like to score a 13.6-inch M2 MacBook Air for $899, a couple hundred bucks off the regular price?

More than 4,600 people on Best Buy’s website give the slender laptop a rating of 4.9 out of 5.0. And now it’s on sale.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Final Killers of the Flower Moon trailer packs a powerful punch

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Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone star in the epic historical tale.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone star in the epic historical tale.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ dropped the final trailer and some fine move-poster images Wednesday for Martin Scorcese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone. And if the powerful video, below, doesn’t make you want to see the film, nothing will.

The streaming service often calls upcoming movies and shows “highly anticipated,” and it’s no exaggeration in this case. The epic historical drama premieres October 20 in theaters, including IMAX screens, and afterward on Apple TV+.

Some Apple Watch Ultra 2 bands delay delivery to November

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Apple Watch Ultra 2 with Trail Loop band
Is this band worth waiting five or six extra weeks for an Apple Watch Ultra 2?
Photo: Apple

Those who want a new Apple Watch Ultra 2 as soon as possible need to think carefully about what band to get with it. With some bands, the wearable is available on launch day later this month. But with others the wait stretches out to November.

So do you really, really want that Trail Loop in Orange/Beige?

Stop annoying spam calls on your iPhone with this simple solution

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The best way to stop spam robocalls is to stop data brokers from collecting and selling your data.
The best way to stop spam robocalls is to stop data brokers from collecting and selling your data.
Image: Surfshark

Spam calls to your iPhone are an annoying distraction and — as many folks would say — a violation of your privacy. But you don’t have to live with them if you use Incogni.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by Surfshark.
In fact, the Incogni personal data removal service does more than just cut down on spam call volume. It also helps defend against the scams and identity theft that can ensue when rogues find or buy your data online.

No, Apple didn’t change the iPhone connector to make money

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iPhone 15 and USB-C cable with money falling in the background
It's not about money this time.
Photo: Apple/Public Domain

No, Apple didn’t change the Lightning connector on the iPhone 15 to make more money selling you new cables and dongles. It’s a common conspiracy theory that Apple switches the connector all the time for lining their pockets, but it doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.

First of all, Apple changes the connector very rarely; this is only the second occurrence in 16 years. Secondly, Apple is actually giving up money to make the switch happen. Not that there’s much money to be made selling Lightning cables, anyway. And all that aside, it’s out of Apple’s hands — USB-C is European Union law.

Why you might be interested in Apple’s new USB-C EarPods

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Apple USB-C EarPods
You don't have to buy AirPods to get decent earbuds from Apple for your Mac or iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s transition away from the old Lightning connector includes a USB-C version of EarPods, and these can now be purchased online for under $20.

The wired earbuds that come with iPhone are surprisingly good — audio quality is closer to AirPods than you might realize. And there are other advantages for Mac and iPad users, too.

Even Jon Hamm can’t save The Morning Show season 3 [Apple TV+ recap] ☆☆☆

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Episode 1. Tig Notaro and Jon Hamm in ☆☆☆
Jon Hamm joins The Morning Show cast, playing a tech mogul that's part Steve Jobs, part Elon Musk and part Jeff Bezos.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+’s flagship drama The Morning Show returns today for another season of broadcast news back-stabbing after a truly disastrous second season. The show adds a new character — a tech exec played by Mad Men star Jon Hamm — to the toxic mix this time around.

But can the showrunners right The Morning Show’s course? And, perhaps more importantly, does it matter? The show, about a news network and its star executives and anchors, finds itself dealing with contemporary politics a day late and a dollar short.

Pay one low price for a lifetime of web hosting

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Get a lifetime of web hosting for only $49.99.
All you need is a domain to get up and running with this lifetime web host for just $49.99.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you’re setting up an online store or creating a personal or business webpage, one thing you must consider is where you’ll host your website. Some web hosts are super cheap and only cost a few dollars a month, but that can add up over time. With DoRoyal website hosting, you can host unlimited domains for life for a one-time payment of $49.99 (regularly $225). 

Listen to Chinese gangster’s unreal story in Magnificent Jerk podcast trailer

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Sounds like the makings of a good story, like every podcast should be.
Sounds like the makings of a good story, like every podcast should be.
Photo: Apple

The new Apple Originals podcast Magnificent Jerk tells the unbelievable story of an eccentric uncle who plays at acting and screenwriting but turns out to be a Chinese gang leader whose life ends up on screen in a low-budget action flick starring Rob Lowe in a fake mustache, according to a new trailer dropped Wednesday.

Former Washington Post journalist Maya Lin Sugarman — the guy’s niece — hosts the podcast. It debuts September 18.

Should you buy the iPhone 15, Apple Watch or AirPods?

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Should You Upgrade?
Do you need any of Apple’s new products?
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Wonderlust 2023Should you buy the new iPhone 15, Apple Watch Series 9 (or Ultra 2) or AirPods? The new iPhones brought big changes this year. The Apple Watch and AirPods… not so much.

Now that the products are available to order, you might be wondering if it’s time to upgrade. That depends on what devices you have, so I’ve put together a buying guide with charts and a video to help you decide.

iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max: Should you go big?

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iPhone 15 Pro vs. iPhone 15 Pro Max comparison
The differences between the Pro and Pro Max models expand with this year's iPhone lineup.
Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh

Trying to decide if you should buy iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max? After a few years of feature parity, this year’s lineup once again makes a marquee feature exclusive to the Pro Max model. And for photographers, it’s a doozy: iPhone 15 Pro Max gets a new 5x optical zoom, thanks to its tetraprism periscope lens.

Bigger display and longer battery life aside, this key camera improvement alone could make it worth upgrading to the larger iPhone Pro this year. Here’s how iPhone 15 Pro compares to iPhone 15 Pro Max.

iPhone 15 Pro cameras star alongside Olivia Rodrigo in sassy new music video

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Plenty of shots in the video star iPhone 15 Pro as much as they do Rodrigo.
Plenty of shots in the video star iPhone 15 Pro as much as they do Rodrigo.
Photo: Apple/YouTube

At this point, considering the cinematic chops of iPhone cameras — especially in the new iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max — we expect to see full-length feature films. But we’ll take another “Shot on iPhone” pop music video like the one Apple’s pushing for Olivia Rodrigo’s song “get him back!”

The sassy music video, shot entirely on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, dropped Tuesday along with the arrival of the new iPhone 15 lineup.