Cult of Mac

Apple TV+ comedy High Desert reaches its penultimate episode this week, as Peggy comes close to solving the many mysteries she’s been juggling as a first-time private investigator.

Arman and Heather squeeze Peggy for money she doesn’t have, just as her ne’er-do-well hubby Denny creates more problems for them by resuming his life of crime. Plus, the Gatchis demand answers about their missing sister. Entitled “This Doesn’t Have to Be a Tragedy,” it’s a surprisingly emotional episode of the zany noir.

The 2023 Mac Pro starts at $7,000, while a similarly configured 2023 Mac Studio is $4,000. The potential savings has people questioning whether they really need the Pro to get the job done.

Let’s compare these professional-grade desktops to see how they stack up. You might be surprised at how similar they are, given how very different the two designs are. If you’re considering the latest Mac Pro, check out this detailed comparison of Mac Studio vs. Mac Pro.

The only reason today’s featured setup isn’t 100% Apple is that Cupertino doesn’t make its own condenser USB microphones, lighting or desks.

Literally everything else in the setup is from Apple, including a computing “hat trick” of desktop Mac, laptop Mac and Apple tablet, plus a second hat trick for peripherals, with an Apple display, Apple input devices and Apple audio.

Apple’s total investment in its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative passed $200 million with an addition of $25 million in venture capital. The fund has the goal of expanding opportunities for Black, Hispanic/Latinx and Indigenous communities.

The Mac-maker has now more than doubled its original 2020 financial commitment to the REJI.

The base model 15-inch MacBook Air reportedly will have slower SSD performance than versions of the new laptop with more storage capacity.

This is an issue that also affects the 13-inch model that launched in 2022.

Contrary to popular belief, technology doesn’t always distance us from the natural world. In fact, these HD Digital Camera Binoculars actually bring nature closer to us.

Between HD photos and a pile of apps, you can burn through storage space on your iPhone, MacBook or iPad pretty quickly. That low-storage warning might be annoying when it pops up, but that’s no reason to erase important files.

Instead, connect your Apple device to 10TB of cloud storage and keep all your files safe without taking up space. With this price drop, you can get lifetime access to 10TB of storage from Degoo for only $79.97 (regularly $1,080). But act fast — this sale ends June 18 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

The just-launched 2023 Mac Pro lacks features considered critical for workstations: upgradable RAM and support for eGPUs. But this isn’t Apple blindly making an error — it’s an inescapable fact of the M-series’ unified memory architecture.

The limitation isn’t new: it’s been known since the M1 processor was announced. But Tuesday’s release of a top-tier macOS workstation shines a spotlight on the problem.

For those who weren’t paying attention back in 2020, here’s an explanation of why RAM upgrades and plug-in GPU aren’t an option for the 2023 Mac Pro.

For years podcasters, streamers, musicians and other content creators have turned to certain USB microphones that bring quality without costing a fortune. Audio-Technica’s AT2020  has been one of those. Now the company offers a major upgrade on the model with its new AT2020USB-XP microphone.

Upgrades bring new digital technology and some studio-quality features to help you sound like a pro.

Bluetti’s new, highly portable AC180 power station comes with several features that make it perfect for camping as well as home battery backup.

With enhancements including a 1,440-watt fast-charging rate, 1,800W of continuous AC power and a Power Lifting Mode that delivers up to 2,700W, the AC180 stands ready to deliver the power you need in a range of scenarios, from camping trips in the deepest wilderness to power outages at home. Bluetti kicks off the early bird sale on its new AC180 power generator Wednesday, with special pricing for a limited time.

Season 2 of sci-fi series Foundation explodes like a supernova on Apple TV+ July 14. That may sound a bit dramatic, but the main word that comes to mind upon watching the new trailer for the season the streaming service dropped Tuesday is … epic. And lots of stuff explodes in it.

Or let’s go with “epic saga,” the phrase Apple TV+ used to describe the hit show based on Isaac Asimov’s award-winning stories about a band of exiles defying a crumbling galactic empire. For those interested in exploring more great sci-fi, checking out the Murderbot Diaries series in order can provide a great starting point before the TV adaptation arrives.

As June speeds toward July, are you ready for summer? You can look like you are. Just refresh your Apple Watch’s look with a Goldenerre Color Pop band and a white case.

For a fresh look, you can choose from the band’s three color combos and pair the band with the company’s white case. The bands and the case are new in the Cult of Mac Store. Apple has also introduced new iPhone colors, giving you even more ways to freshen up your tech accessories for the season.

If all Adobe gave the world was the PDF file, the software maker would be justly remembered as a tech innovator. But today, the company gives visual creatives of all types the tools they need to realize their vision (and make a living) through the powerful tools in Adobe Creative Cloud.

If you haven’t tried out these industry-standard apps, here’s a deal tailor-made for you. This bundle pairs 26 Adobe Creative Cloud apps with more than 37 hours of training (and other perks) for less than $40.

Apple’s 2023 Mac Studio, Mac Pro and 15-inch MacBook Air are now reaching customers. Announced at WWDC23 last week, the new Macs went up for preorder soon after.

Customers who placed their orders early have already started receiving Apple’s latest Macs. If you didn’t place your order already, you can currently grab one with a $50 discount!

Apple’s professional-grade Mac Studio desktop has been updated with either an Apple M2 Max or M2 Ultra processor. The new chips give a welcome increase in performance, and the top-tier model now supports 8K monitors.

Read on to discover what the first reviewers have to say about the powerfully upgraded Mac.

Antonin Carême rose from humble beginnings in Paris to the height of culinary stardom in Napoleon’s Europe. His story is coming to Apple TV+ as an eight-episode French drama.

Carême’s life had more excitement than one might expect from a chef and author, as he also served as an unwilling spy for France.

Baseus rolled out its new thin-and-compact battery pack Friday, the Baseus Blade HD Series 100W Power Bank. It provides 100 watts of power delivery from its 20,000mAh battery to keep MacBook, other laptops and various gadgets going. If you’re using this to keep your Mac running, you may also want to check out how to power off Mac for optimal battery management.

The Satechi Triple 4K Display Docking Station offers a dozen ports of a variety of types. Among the range of accessories that can be connected are up to three 4K/60Hz displays. And that includes Macs that ordinarily support only one external monitor.

Also included are multiple USB ports and Ethernet.

If you haven’t yet placed your preorder for the 15-inch MacBook Air, you should jump on Amazon’s latest deal. It knocks $50 off the price of the well-reviewed new laptop.

This is the best deal to surface so far on the 15-inch MacBook Air, which hits retail stores Tuesday.

In the battle over who offers the best 5K display, Apple doesn’t always win, even with Mac users. And it’s usually because of price.

Today’s featured Mac Studio setup relies on a 40-inch LG 5K2K curved ultra-wide monitor — picked over a pair of Studio Displays that would cost twice as much — and the user more-or-less said they they couldn’t be happier.

Reviewers have plenty of praise for the first 15-inch MacBook Air, with comments like it “does its job very, very well” (The Verge) and it’s “more than good enough” (CNET).

Shockingly, this killer consumer laptop starts at just $1,299 (and is already available at a $50 discount from some retailers). Read on for a summary of comments about Apple’s largest consumer-oriented notebook yet.

Apple’s AirPods charging cases are sleek, protective — and relentlessly white. So if you’d like to add a layer of extra protection along with a better grip and a choice of colors, Totallee offers new cases for AirPods Pro (2nd generation) and AirPods 3.

The company sent me its new case for AirPods Pro 2. The simple accessory gets the job done, as advertised.

Whether you want to protect your own business or specialize in an area of IT, which is increasingly in demand for a variety of industries, training in cybersecurity is key. InfoSec4TC Cyber Security Training is one of the highest rated online schools for cybersecurity, and right now, you can grab lifetime access to a platinum membership on sale for just $69.99 — that’s more than $200 off the regular price of $280.

The first 15-inch MacBook Air was a highlight of WWDC23, but it was a bit overshadowed by other announcements. Perhaps that’s why Apple still has units ready to be preordered for pickup on launch day, June 13.

The same is true for the upgraded Mac Studio with M2 Pro or M2 Ultra processors. And the first Mac Pro with Apple silicon is also sold out on launch day.

Benchmark scores of Apple’s M2 Ultra indicate the new chip runs up to 20% faster than its predecessor, the M1 Ultra. And the comparison between the latest chip and the Intel processor in the 2019 Mac Pro proves even more dramatic.

You can configure the 2023 Mac Studio, which Apple unveiled during the WWDC23 keynote, with the M2 Ultra. And this bruiser of a chip is the only option you get when buying the new 2023 Mac Pro.