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Versatile origami iPad case folds 3 ways for more kickstand options [Review]

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SwitchEasy Origami Protective Case review
The SwitchEasy Origami Protective Case is ready to go wherever you do.
Photo: SwitchEasy

The SwitchEasy Origami Protective Case folds into three different styles of iPad stand, giving you a range of options for typing, reading and browsing.

I tested this clever folio case with my own iPad. There’s plenty to like here. (Update: The case is currently on sale at 30% off in the Cult of Mac Store.)

Mac shipments return to growth but Windows keeps plunging

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2023 MacBook Air, Mac Studio and Mac Pro
People are buying more Macs even as Windows shipments slide.
Photo: Apple

Apple is once again the lone bright spot in the global PC industry. Mac shipments grew by double digits year over year while makers of Windows machines all saw their shipments decline, according to a market research firm.

Mac’s return to growth in Q2 must be a relief to CEO Tim Cook as Q1 shipments were down dramatically.

Get a glimpse of scary ‘adult fairytale’ The Changeling coming to Apple TV+

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Anyone up for a horrifying
Anyone up for a horrifying "adult fairytale" about parenthood in New York City?
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ dropped a “first look” at a new drama/horror series and “parenthood fable” The Changeling, coming to the streaming service September 8. See the photographs below.

The eight-episode show stars LaKeith Stanfield (Atlanta, Sorry to Bother You) and comes from the critically acclaimed and bestselling book of the same name by Victor LaValle.

Latest mophie powerstation more than doubles iPhone battery life [Review] ★★★★☆

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mophie powerstation (2023) review★★★★☆
This relatively inexpensive power bank from movie can add days of use to your devices.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The 2023 version of the mophie powerstation packs in 10,000 mAh and a trio of USB ports to charge your Apple or Android devices. It can keep an iPhone 14 going for a weekend, or give a boost to a MacBook or iPad.

I put the external battery to through testing to see how well it stands up to real-world use.

Prime Day slashes prices on Momax’s potent power bank, MacBook stand and more

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The 10,000mAh power bank has plenty of juice for charging devices on the go.
The 10,000mAh wireless power bank packs plenty of juice for charging devices on the go.
Photo: Momax

Amazon Prime Days are here, and this year Momax is offering splendid deals on a variety of technology products for Apple fans, including a powerful wireless charger/power bank, a useful vertical laptop stand and a slew of other cool items.

Plus, you can expect even more Prime Day deals from Momax tomorrow.

Keep 10TB of data safe and accessible for life for less than $80

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Keep 10TB of data safe and accessible for life for under $80.
How to get 10TB of cloud storage for under $80 (Hint: It's not Prime Day).
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Even occasional internet users need cloud storage. And while it’s essential, let’s face it: We don’t really want to have to think about it too much. Prism Drive is one of those rare cloud storage providers that checks all the boxes when it comes to safety and accessibility but still makes it easy to manage your data.

Sign up for a 10TB lifetime plan by July 17, and you can get it for the best price on the web — a one-time payment of just $79.97.

Apple withdraws latest iOS and macOS Rapid Security Response patches

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How to install the new iOS and macOS Rapid Security Response
This Rapid Security Response patch is no longer available.
Image: Cult of Mac

The Rapid Security Response patches released Monday for iOS 16.5.1, macOS Ventura 13.4.1 and iPadOS 16.5.1 have been pulled back by Apple. They made changes to WebKit, and reportedly were causing problems with some websites.

This isn’t ideal, as they were introduced to close a security hole that has been exploited by hackers.

Prime Day deal: Lowest-ever price on awesome noise-canceling earbuds

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EarFun Air Pro 3 noise-cancelling earbuds for around $50 is a great deal.
EarFun Air Pro 3 noise-cancelling earbuds for around $50 is a great deal.
Photo: Earfun

With Prime Day upon us, Earfun is offering one of its best deals ever on high-quality noise-canceling earbuds, Earfun Air Pro 3.

“This exclusive Prime Day deal represents the lowest prices in our brand’s history, and we are confident that they will be extremely enticing for consumers,” the company told Cult of Mac.

For Amazon Prime Day, July 11 and 12, you can get an astonishingly low price on earbuds of this quality — under $50.

Best Prime Day deals on Apple gear and accessories [Updated]

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Best Prime Day deals 2023 on Apple gear, day two.
Amazon's Prime Day event is a great time to find Apple deals. Here are the best we've tracked down so far.
Photo: Brooke Cagle/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

Looking for the absolute best Amazon Prime Day deals on Apple gear and accessories? Us too. In fact, the only thing we like more than Apple gear is a great deal on Apple gear.

So far we’ve found cheap MacBooks, AirTag competitors that cost less than $15 a pop, rock-bottom pricing on must-have software like Microsoft Office for Mac, and sweet deals that will save you hundreds on power banks and solar generators to keep your gear powered up. We even put together an inexpensive bundle that can add Apple CarPlay to your ride.

We’ll update this post as we continue to search for the best Prime Day deals — on Amazon and beyond.

Get Microsoft Office for Mac (and learn how to use the software) for just $29.97

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Become an Office expert with this Microsoft sale during our version of Prime Day.
Get MS Office 2021 plus 28 hours of expert training for $29.97.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you don’t own Microsoft Office for Mac, this is your best chance to get it at a great price. Plus, you’ll also get thousands of dollars’ worth of online courses that will help you make the most of the world’s most popular software suite.

During Deal Days — our answer to Prime Day — you can get the Premium Microsoft Office Training Bundle plus a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021 for just $29.97 through July 14. That’s an astonishing deal that will save you thousands!

M1 MacBook Air is a total steal at just $749

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M1 MacBook Air in gold
The M1 MacBook Air is a screaming deal at this new low price.
Photo: Apple

The M1 MacBook Air just dropped to an extremely affordable $749 from its $999 MSRP. If you need a lightweight laptop with excellent battery life that can handle everyday tasks like a champ, don’t miss this deal.

This is the lowest price the machine has dropped to, besting even the price it was available for during last year’s Black Friday. Best Buy has the same deal, knocking $250 off the M1 MacBook Air.

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

This is how you make your computer setup a thing of beauty [Setups]

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It took months to put together this well-put-together setup.
It took months to put together this well-put-together setup.
Photo: [email protected]

There’s nothing like stained wood to make a computer setup look like a class act. Today’s featured M1 Max MacBook Pro and custom PC workstation places those powerful machines on shelves off to the side that more-or-less match the desk.

Relocating the computers makes more room on the beautiful wooden desktop, which ups the quality even further with a handsome wooden desk shelf for the external display and other items.

Funny new Apple ad highlights long, long battery life of iPhone 14 Plus

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Funny new Apple ad highlights long, long battery life of iPhone 14 Plus
This guy has all day to listen to his favorite rappers on his iPhone 14 Plus.
Screenshot: Apple

Battery for Miles, a just-released advert for Apple, stars an elderly farmer driving a tractor and listening to Ludacris on his iPhone … as one does. He’s many hours from his destination but he doesn’t care — his iPhone 14 Plus has all the battery life he needs.

Apple also premiered Crash Test to advertise the iPhone’s Crash Detection feature.

After the Whistle podcast with Ted Lasso’s Coach Beard is back

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Tune in July 19 for a preview of the 2023 Women's World Cup and follow each episode covering the tournament's matches.
Tune in July 19 for a preview of the 2023 Women's World Cup and follow each episode covering the tournament's matches.
Photo: Apple News

Apple News said Monday its popular soccer podcast After the Whistle with Brendan Hunt and Rebecca Lowe will return for a second season July 19.

While the first season saw Hunt — Coach Beard on the smash hit Apple TV+ soccer comedy Ted Lasso — and veteran sports broadcaster Lowe applying their super fandom to the Men’s World Cup tournament, the second season focuses on the 2023 Women’s World Cup, hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

Trailer for Ridley Scott’s action epic Napoleon tracks ruthless rise of a conqueror

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‘Napoleon’ on Apple TV+
Napoleon is a spectacle-filled action epic that details the rise and fall of the iconic French emperor.
Graphic: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ just gave us the first real look at Ridley Scott’s upcoming biopic about Napoleon Bonaparte. The Napoleon trailer dropped Monday, showing Joaquin Phoenix as the French emperor setting out to conquer Europe.

The film tells the story of Napoleon’s ruthless rise to power and his obsessive love for his wife, Empress Josephine.

Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for less than $30 ahead of Prime Day

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Grab the latest Windows 11 Pro for less than $30 ahead of Prime Day.
Don't wait until Prime Day to get Windows 11 Pro for up to three machines at this great price.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Obviously, we love Macs (and macOS). However, even some of our very best friends still use Microsoft Windows. If your PC is not running Windows 11 Pro, the latest and best operating system from Microsoft, you’re missing out on your machine’s full potential.

This software usually costs $199. But during Deal Days — our version of Prime Day that brings you incredible discounts on tech, home goods and more — you can score Windows 11 Pro for just $29.97. But you’ll have to act fast, since this deal only lasts through July 14 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

Much-anticipated 32-inch iMac is still over a year away

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24-inch iMac with M1 processor released in 2021
The excitement over a 32-inch iMac is a bit premature.
Photo: Apple

A recent report that Apple is developing an iMac with a screen larger than 30 inches generated a lot of buzz, but a new leak indicates that development of the all-in-one desktop is still in the early stages. It supposedly won‘t reach customers for over a year.

And the launch of a smaller iMac with an M3 Apple processor has reportedly been pushed back.

OLED iPad almost certainly coming in 2024

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Here's more proof iPad will get gorgeous OLED screens
An iPad with a beautiful OLED display should be out in under a year.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple will upgrade the next iPad Pro with an OLED display in 2024, according to a market research firm. This is the latest in a long series of reports indicating that these top-tier tablets are moving beyond traditional LED screens.

However, the same source indicates that the first MacBook with OLED won‘t be out before 2027.

Bluetti Prime Day Sale: Save up to $1,199 on solar generators, power stations and expansion batteries

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Bluetti's Prime Day Sale offers huge savings and doesn't require an Amazon Prime membership.
Bluetti's Prime Day Sale offers huge savings and doesn't require an Amazon Prime membership.
Photo: Bluetti

If you’ve been thinking about getting a reliable backup power source for your home that you can also use to power outdoor adventures, don’t miss this opportunity — Bluetti’s Prime Day Sale.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by Bluetti.
A pioneer in renewable energy storage, Bluetti powers up its Prime Day Sale on July 11 and 12. You can get huge discounts of up to $960. And you don’t need an Amazon Prime membership.

Go large with 10TB of lifetime cloud storage for less than $100

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Get ahead of Prime Day with this Degoo Backup Plan deal, now only $100.
Get 10TB of backup space with Degoo for $97.97 during our pre-Prime Day sale.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Securing a reliable place to back up all of your most important data can make a world of difference in both your professional and personal lives. For those tired of waiting for Prime Day to come around, our Deal Days sales event is now in full swing. And that means you can score incredible early deals on tech, household goods and more.

For anyone looking to save while grabbing vast cloud storage space, lifetime access to 10TB of Degoo Premium cloud storage is now only $97.97 (regularly $1,080), with no coupon necessary. You’ll have to act fast, as this Deal Days special ends July 14 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific!

AirPods are ready for their upgrades … and so are we! [The CultCast]

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AirPods and the CultCast logo.
Just when you thought AirPods couldn't get any better ...
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple’s roadmap for future AirPods looks ambitious. The company wants them to take your temperature to see if you’re feverish, test your ears to see if you’re hard of hearing, substitute for hearing aids, and charge using the one cable to rule them all … USB-C!

It’s all music to our ears.

Also on The CultCast:

  • An Apple monitor that works even when your Mac is turned off sounds perfect for some people and situations.
  • Shocker! Apple’s Vision Pro headset might be in incredibly short supply at launch.
  • Threads, the new “Twitter killer” from Meta, doesn’t seem like that much of a threat. However, it might play nice with Mastodon. (Griffin is optimistic!)
  • Suddenly, Apple TV+ seems like a streaming contender.
  • Erfon is pretty, pretty, pretty pleased with Apple’s stock price.

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.

Idris Elba’s star power pulls in big audience for Hijack on Apple TV+

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Elba looks tense here for a reason. He's got big problems to solve.
Elba looks tense here for a reason. He's got big problems to solve.
Photo: Apple TV+

Hijack, a new thriller starring Idris Elba, quickly rose to near the top of the rating charts showing it’s among the most popular shows on any streaming service.

And it’s not the only stand-out Apple TV+ series right now — Silo also continues to draw a large audience.

Get an iPad Air with Beats headphones for just $99.97

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Get a Grade A refurbished bundle featuring an iPad Air and Beats headphones for only $99.97 before Prime Day.
Save $50 ahead of Prime Day on a Grade A refurbished iPad Air and renewed Beats Flex headphones bundle.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Why wait for Amazon Prime Day to score your next tech deal? During our Deal Days event, you can pick up a like-new original iPad Air and renewed Beats Flex headphones for just $99.97.

Yes, it’s a 10-year-old tablet that recently aged out onto Apple’s obsolete list. However, it’s still got a beautiful Retina screen that makes it great for many things, including watching videos. It’s great for kids, and you can’t beat the pricing on this bundle, which also includes some extra perks in addition to the two main items.

Don’t sit on this deal, though. There’s a limited quantity available. And even if the bundle doesn’t sell out, this limited-time offer expires July 14 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.

Save hundreds on an impressive widescreen golf simulator

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Get this widescreen golf sim before Prime Day and save hundreds before July 14.
Play golf indoors, anytime with pre-Prime Day savings on the Vista 10X portable simulator.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Golf simulators come in many different styles and levels of quality, but the truly high-tech ones can make you feel like you’re actually out on the links. Gifts like these are something even the biggest enthusiast would wait until Prime Day to buy, but Amazon just got beat to the punch.

During our Deal Days event, you can save 30% on the TruGolf Vista 10X Portable Golf Simulator and a premium pack of the most famous courses from around the globe. Through July 14 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific, you can get this innovative golf simulator for only $13,000 (regularly $18,395)!

The Crowded Room goes from arthouse to madhouse [Apple TV+ recap] ☆☆☆☆

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Tom Holland in ☆☆☆☆
We finally get inside the head of Danny (played by Tom Holland). It's not pretty.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ limited series The Crowded Room plays its final hand this week, and the show finally broke me the way it reportedly “broke” its lead actor, Tom Holland. Danny finally gets to know all of his personalities at Rya’s behest, though he may have blown his chances at a fair trial already.

The show’s prior attempts at sensitively depicting Danny’s mental illness take a turn for the deeply unserious this week. And for this recapper, there is just no sane way to move forward.