★★★☆☆
It's reunion time for Salvor (played by Leah Harvey, left) Hari (Jared Harris) and Gaal (Lou Llobell). Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+’s epic science fiction series Foundation deals with the fallout from an assassination attempt, a potential marriage and the opening of a puzzle cube this week.
In the episode, entitled “A Glimpse of Darkness,” Salvor and Gaal have their overdue reunion with Hari Seldon. Plus, some new converts are betrayed by their faith. And Hari, like Schrodinger’s cat, may or may not be in a box. It’s a very good episode between major developments.
You can farm in “Stardew Valley+” or fight monsters. Or get married. Image: ConcernedApe
Popular farming simulator Stardew Valley+ is now playable via Apple Arcade. The game promises many hours of entertainment, with farming, ranching, fighting monsters and even getting married.
It’s one of a number of classic titles to hit Apple’s gaming subscription service in recent weeks.
Stick it on your keychain and you'll always have it with you. Photo: Nomad
Nomad introduced ChargeKey in 2013, and at long last the popular little keychain charging cable got an update. Now it sports a fresh design and USB-C and Lightning versions to help you power up today’s devices on the go.
★★★☆☆
The undisputed master of the three-pointer gets his due new documentary Stephen Curry: Underrated. Photo: Apple TV+
New Apple TV+ sports doc Stephen Curry: Underrated follows the Golden State Warriors star and his quest to bring his team back after a bad season.
The film documents the various rises and falls of the player with the three-pointer record and the slim build, showing us who Curry is off the court as well as on. It’s a very conventional but likable look at the kind of talent that doesn’t come along every day.
A lot of people hate Magic Mouse. But commenters on this setup sang its praises. Photo: [email protected]
Our travels online among computer setups show that a great many Apple users don’t choose Magic Mouse — and many even detest it. So they select popular products from Logitech and other makers. But some people, like graphic designers, passionately defend Apple’s sleek and slippery mouse, and today’s featured MacBook Pro-and-custom-PC setup is a testament to that. Long live Magic Mouse!
Why would you want to miss this Apple Watch Series 8 deal? Screenshot: Apple
Apple Watch is one of the best accessories you can get for your iPhone. The smartwatch will complement your iPhone by mirroring key notifications and tracking your key health metrics.
If you are using an old Apple Watch or have yet to try one, now is the time. Amazon’s latest deal has slashed $70 off the Apple Watch Series 8, dropping its price to as low as $329.
Use promo code CULT at CdkeySales.com to score major savings on Microsoft software. Photo: CdkeySales.com
The blazing sun isn’t summertime’s only hot thing. You can also get blistering deals on crucial Microsoft productivity software. Whether it’s new or you’re just keeping yours updated to work smoothly and sidestep emerging security threats, it’s a good thing you can nab the latest versions of Windows, Microsoft Office and other great software at super-low summer prices.
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To avoid paying full price, check out the selection at software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com. You’ll find deals on Windows, Office and more. And if you want the biggest savings, enter promo code CULT at CdkeySales.com. That cuts an additional 35% off the site’s low prices on software keys. And that’s not all. When you buy Windows 10 you get a free upgrade to Windows 11.
Slice nicer with this $60 professional knife sharpener. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Home cooks depend on their knives more than any other utensil in the kitchen. Unfortunately, blades also need the most care, and too few of us can fully provide it. If you already invested in a decent set of knives, it pays to find a sharpener that can keep their edges keen. The Angle Pro Knife Sharpener is a unique tool that gives you custom blade sharpening and care, no matter what kind of knives you have in your kitchen arsenal.
Luckily, giving your beloved blades TLC doesn’t have to come at a steep cost. You can score the Angle Pro Knife Sharpener with Angle Gauge for only $59.97 (regularly $199). You’ll have to act fast, though, since this deal only lasts until July 23 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific!
You can take Instagram-worthy pictures of the night sky with the Vaonis Hestia. Photo: Vaonis
The Vaonis Hestia gives users a closer look at the moon, sun and stars, but it’s far from a traditional telescope. It’s designed to let beginners use their iPhone to view the heavens, easily find the celestial objects they want to see, and then photograph them.
It’s also quite portable. It’s ready to go with you to escape light pollution.
Get a green thumb the easy way with this $14.97 plant ID tool. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Almost everybody loves houseplants, but sometimes it can seem like they don’t love us. To those of us who don’t have a degree in botany, it can be a mystery why some plants thrive while others wither in the same spot. Now there’s help for everyday plant moms and dads in the form of Plantum, an AI-based app that can help you both identify and care for your flowers, ferns, and other flora. A lifetime subscription is only $14.97 through July 23.
The new Zagg Pro keyboards use Bluetooth and wireless charging. Photo: Zagg
Zagg just launched a line of Bluetooth desktop keyboards that range in size from 12 inches all the way up to 17 inches, with larger models adding a numberpad and function keys. And they really don’t need wires, as they also charge wirelessly
In addition, the new keyboard lineup includes one designed specifically to plug into the Lightning port of an iPad. And there’s a USB-C variant, too.
You might want to order your iPhone 15 Pro Max on day one if you don’t want a long wait. Photo: Mockup Cloud
A standout feature of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max is reportedly causing assembly problems. The high-end models Apple will launch in autumn 2023 are expected to have the thinnest screen bezels of any handset, but that’s apparently making the panels harder than usual to produce.
If true, this could lower the supply of the iOS devices when they launch.
Don’t hold your breath for the iPhone SE 4. Image: Rajesh
The on again/off again iPhone SE 4 is reportedly off again. For at least a couple of years, anyway. Apple reportedly no longer intends to make a new budget iOS handset in 2024.
That’s probably not surprising considering the popularity of the company’s more expensive models.
This Kuxiu charger is cleverly designed to charge three of your Apple devices simultaneously. Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
The Kuxiu X40 3-in-1 charger simplifies travel by juicing up your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods from one device, cable and outlet. It folds flat for sticking in your bag — it even comes with a little carrying case. Its handsome design and premium materials make it suitable as a permanent desk companion, too.
Without a handy travel charger like this, hitting the road with all your devices — iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods and possibly a MacBook, iPad or Nintendo Switch — can become a big nightmare of device-specific cables. iPhones and AirPods charge with a Lightning cable, the Apple Watch has its own unique puck thing and most other devices are on USB-C, except for some MacBooks that have MagSafe, too.
The Kuxiu X40 replaces two to three of the special charging cables that we, people with Apple devices, are used to taking with us everywhere we go. You don’t need your Lightning cable and your Watch cable. All you need to put in your bag is the Kuxiu X40 and a beefy USB-C power cable to charge all your devices on a weekend away from home.
It’s regularly on sale for less, but even its original $79.99 price is competitive for what you get.
You won't find a better deal on the M1 MacBook Air than this. Photo: Apple
Apple’s M1 MacBook Air was available for just $749.99 on Prime Day earlier this month. In case you missed that deal, Amazon is again discounting the machine to $749, knocking a staggering $250 off its retail price.
If you need a new laptop, this is the deal you should not miss. At $749.99, the M1 MacBook Air provides one of the cheapest ways to get into Apple’s ecosystem.
When you're a writer, you want to focus on words, not complicated formatting.
Image: Typora
Almost any writer or content creator can benefit from using a minimal Markdown editor like Typora. It’s a simple app that you can configure in many different ways to suit the formatting you need for your document, whether you’re writing a book, building a website, crafting a business report or simply blogging or penning an essay for school.
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Typora excels at Markdown, which helps a writer format text using simple markup language. Typora keeps everything minimal and seamless, so you can focus on the content, not the code behind it.
iPhone users in the UK might want to talk to the government if they’d like to keep using iMessage and FaceTime. Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
The U.K. government has proposed an update to the Investigatory Powers Act that Apple and other tech companies strongly oppose because it they argue it would substantially weaken the security of their messaging applications.
The updated act would allow the government to require security features in the apps be disabled immediately and without informing users.
Apple reportedly warned that it’ll disable iMessage and FaceTime in the UK before it’ll comply with the law.
Stream shows from wherever you want with a heavily discounted lifetime subscription to Getflix. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Streaming services like Netflix pose challenges for travelers away from their home countries. Accessing your account can prove difficult or downright impossible if you use a standard connection. Luckily, there are smart ways to get around geographic restrictions to stream whatever you want, whenever you want, and wherever you are.
Getflix is a smart DNS/virtual private network combo specifically designed to let you bypass those annoying limits. And right now, you can pay one low price to open up a whole new world of content — for life!
Pay one low price for a lifetime of unlimited web hosting from iBrave. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you’ve ever built or operated a website, you know the expenses don’t stop once you go live. You still need to pay fees for your domain and web hosting, which can amount to hundreds or even thousands every year. Web hosting doesn’t need to cost that much, though.
For a limited time, you can get lifetime access to iBrave’s top-tier unlimited web hosting package for a one-time payment of just $79.97.
The cheapest ad-free Netflix plan is no more. Photo: Netflix
Netflix just killed its Basic plan, forcing people to pay more for an ad-free experience. And the cost of all Peacock plans went up, with or without commercials.
Apple TV+, with no ads at all, looks like a better deal than ever.
Apple reportedly is scrambling to catch up in the generative artificial intelligence department. Image: Hal Gatewood/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac
Apple reportedly developed its own generative AI chatbot that’s very similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. While this might never be released, the underlying tech is already going into the company’s applications and services.
If true, the chatbot’s technology could be a significant upgrade to the Siri digital assistant that’s built into so many Apple products — and that currently draws so much criticism.
★★★☆☆
Co-pilot Anna (played by Kaisa Hammarlund) wants to help foil the hijackers. Photo: Apple TV+
Sam runs out of options, and Stuart runs out of patience, in this week’s tense installment of Apple TV+ hostage thriller Hijack.
Stuart’s secrets start to spill out as a desperate move to save someone close to him brings the whole operation dangerously close to failure. While Sam tries to stay a step ahead of everyone, there are just some things he can’t know or understand until it’s too late.
Beats Studio Pro improve greatly upon Beats Studio3, released in 2017. Photo: Apple
Apple subsidiary Beats dropped its long-awaited flagship Beats Studio Pro headphones Wednesday to mostly positive reviews, including favorable comparisons to the pricier AirPods Max ($550).
Beats Studio Pro still look a lot like the 2017 Beats Studio3 cans they replace, but they’re chock full of improvements that should justify their $350 price for many despite some shortcomings.
The MacBook Air could serve as a third screen, but it sounds like the user will stick it in a vertical stand instead. Photo: [email protected]
Who doesn’t love a clean, uncluttered computer setup? It doesn’t have to be “minimalist,” like it’s trying to impersonate a Zen rock garden, it just has to be simple and productive.
Today’s featured 15-inch M2 Pro MacBook Air and 11-inch M2 iPad Pro setup gets by quite nicely with one external monitor and the use of Sidecar.