Cult of Mac

In this week’s giveaway, two lucky winners will bag themselves a magnetic Desk Mat Pro with two Cable Block XL cable managers from Function101. This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to tidy up their desk and ensure wires are secure and easily accessible.

This superb Function101 Desk Mat Pro bundle comes in four colors: black, gray, navy and purple. This desktop-organization bundle retails for $60, and you could win one with your free entry below. However, you also can grab this bundle for the sale price of $48 in the Cult of Mac Store right now.

People don’t answer the phone as much they used to, especially because they can usually see who’s calling. But if you have a history of hating telemarketers’ tenacious harassment, now you can get some payback.

A new report points out you can hire a phone bot that uses artificial intelligence and voice cloning to keep those unwanted callers tied up until they give up and hang up.

The wait for a new season of The Morning Show is nearly over. On Thursday, Apple TV+ promised that season 3 of the popular and award-winning drama starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon will premiere in September.

The highlight of the new season will be the arrival of Jon Hamm in the cast.

Alogic’s new Clarity Pro and Clarity Pro Touch 4K UHD Display Monitors build on the success of the company’s Clarity 4K UHD Display Monitor. Both 27-inch monitors feature an 8MP auto-retractable webcam, an eight-port USB-C hub and built-in speakers. And the Clarity Pro Touch adds a touchscreen, bringing a whole new dimension of usability.

Connect the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Multimedia Pro Dock to a Mac to get access to no less than 16 ports. There’s a plethora of video ports, high-speed USB ports, card readers, Ethernet and more.

The dock launched Thursday, and is compatible with both Mac and Windows.

iPad cases that act as stands to prop up the tablet’s screen are old news. But the Moft Snap Float Folio takes the concept to a new level… literally. It can be folded to raise the iPad up to 3.8 inches so it’s easier to see. If that’s not enough, the case/stand also folds into multiple other configurations to allow the iPad to be used in different ways.

The product first launched in 2022, then recently updated it with stronger magnets for a better hold on the tablet. It’s also a bit more robust.

I wrapped my iPad Pro in the Moft’s new-and-improved case to see how easy it is to use, and how stable when used as a stand. I came away impressed.

Apple TV+ comedy Platonic takes a trip to San Diego this week, as Sylvia’s husband Charlie gets paranoid and Will gets a lesson in corporate culture that he didn’t ask for.

In this very good episode of the show — about married Sylvia and divorced Will, who return to the best-friend slot in each other’s lives after an awkward absence — Charlie looks into every little thing, wondering if the pair are more than just friends. Will comes to Sylvia’s rescue at the expense of his friends and business partners, and Sylvia must be honest about the next phase of her life.

Apple will release the new Beats Studio Pro over-ear headphones July 19, according to the same anonymous source who correctly predicted the recent release of Beats Studio Buds+.

The new cans are expected to have high-end features a la AirPods Max, like Beats’ latest active noise cancellation (ANC), and to come in four colors.

Razer, known for gaming gear, sounded off Tuesday with its first in-ear monitors (IEM) — Razer Moray.

Designed for gamers and streamers, the new wired earbuds emphasize THX-certified audio, natural noise isolation and lightweight comfort for long gaming and streaming sessions, the company said.

Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air just dropped to its lowest price of $999. This fantastic Best Buy deal knocks $100 off the laptop’s retail price, making it more affordable than ever.

What makes this offer even better is that you get free iCloud+, Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions for up to three months with your purchase.

It seemed only yesterday M1 Max Mac Studio showed up as the new powerhouse in town, ready to take on all tasks. But in today’s featured setup, it’s on the chopping block for failing to handle heavy-duty rendering work for animated films well enough. The designer running the setup eagerly awaits an M2 Ultra Mac Studio.

Meanwhile, he uses Universal Control to pair his powerful desktop with an M1 iMac for basic tasks and relies on massive amounts of external storage for his humongous files.

Nanoleaf says its new 4D Screen Mirror Camera and Lightstrip Kit will “take your entertainment experience beyond the screen.” And now you can finally preorder the hardware, which the company unveiled at CES in January.

Once it ships, you get a big light strip to set up behind your TV. The camera lights it up with colors reflecting what’s on the screen. And you can mix in other Nanoleaf smart lights, too.

The popular farming simulator Stardew Valley will debut on Apple Arcade in July. The award-wining game promises many hours of entertainment, with farming, ranching, fighting monsters and even getting married.

In addition, Apple’s gaming subscription service will also soon add other classic titles, including Ridiculous Fishing EX, Millionaire Trivia+, Slay the Spire+ and more.

Do you ever feel like you could be neater and less disorganized? Some of us always feel like that. But plenty of tools exist to help you get organized, like the Function101 accessories listed for 20% this week in the Cult of Mac Store.

You can find 10 helpful items in the Function101 collection, from desktop organizers to cable-management must-haves. See some highlights of the sale below. The sale runs through July 5.

New Apple TV+ limited series Hijack stars Idris Elba as a man caught in an explosive hostage situation in the sky. Elba plays a corporate negotiator on one of the worst days of his life, as armed terrorists seize the airplane he’s flying on from Dubai to London.

He has six hours to foil their plan — and possibly save his marriage. Can he pull off one or the other, or both? And more importantly, will it be thrilling? Time will tell…

Globetrotters know the struggle of preparing for an international trip. Packing bags and booking flights and hotels is stressful enough without worrying about the always-dreaded SIM card purchase.

For your next trip, consider trying an eSIM card instead. For instance, you can snag a digital SIM card for life, plus $50 worth of data, for only $24.99 (regularly $50) with this offer.

Maximizing your office or living space can be tricky if you’re working with a relatively small area, so upgraded efficiency is key. You can currently find it, along with a reduced price tag, in the form of a versatile lighting fixture that takes up very little room but will have a big impact on your environment.

Usually sold for $149, the Lamp Depot Minimalist LED Corner Floor Lamp is available for only $55.97 during our version of Prime Day. You can get the best-ever pricing on this product — but only through July 14 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

Normally, you need an Apple TV+ subscription to watch the first episode of the hit sci-fi drama Silo. But it is now posted on Twitter for all to see, in its entirety.

This isn’t piracy — Apple itself shared the video Tuesday.

Basketball superstar Steph Curry will get a documentary on Apple TV+ in July. The trailer for Stephen Curry: Underrated gives a first look at the athlete’s rise to fame.

The film uses a mix of archival footage, new interviews and “intimate cinéma vérité” to explore the life of the basketball great.

The latest version of Microsoft’s operating system, Windows 11 Pro, continues to make life easier for computer users across the globe. It works on compatible PCs, obviously (check compatibility here). And with virtualization software like Parallels, you can run Windows 11 on a Mac as well.

Right now, you can get Windows 11 Pro at the surprisingly low price of only $29.97 (regularly $199).

People love shooting video with their iPhones, but action cameras are gaining in popularity as they get smaller and even easier to stick on a ski helmet or bicycle handlebars.

Case in point: Insta360 just released its Go 3 action camera, which is about the size of your thumb when detached from its remote charging pod with flip LED screen.

Whether you carry a wallet bursting at the seams or you’re a two-cards-and-cash-in-a-clip person, Journey has a new product you might want to give a go. It’s the Ezmo Magnetic Wallet and Phone Stand.

It’s a high-quality leather product that fixes to your iPhone. But whether you want it to be your daily carrier for cash and cards depends on how little you feel you can get by carrying around with you. The company sent me one to try out.

Players become students at Hogwarts and engage in magical duels against dark wizards in Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, which launched Tuesday. It’s a collectible card (CCG) and massively multiplayer (MMO) game, and is free to play — with in-app purchases.

There are versions for iPhone and iPad. (Android too.)

Looking to buy a powerful new MacBook Pro but cannot stretch your budget for the M2 Max model? Apple’s 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max is down to $2,699 after a whopping $800 discount.

This makes it a great alternative to Apple’s newer 2023 MacBook Pro models. If you were looking to buy the M2 Pro-powered MacBook Pro, consider purchasing the M1 Max variant instead.

Apple’s latest Macs are powerful and versatile. So much so that some people wonder if anybody will want the top-of-the-line Mac Pro desktop, even with its new M2 Ultra chip.

A new report found an audience for the top desktop lacking, given the capabilities of Mac Studio and MacBook Pro. But others suggest Mac Pro is here to stay.