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Easily manage even massive writing projects with Scrivener for Mac

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Writers of all kinds can use a $29.99 lifetime subscription to Scrivener to get organized.
Turn your Mac into a writing work station with Scrivener 3, now only $29.99.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It’s easy to get lost in the weeds when looking at a long document or starting a big writing project. If you want a powerful tool that can organize your writing, and let you rework it the entire time you’re composing, here’s your chance to get a lifetime subscription to Scrivener for Mac or Windows.

It’s on sale now for only $29.99 (regularly $59).

Online Apple store opens virtual doors in Vietnam

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Online Apple store opens virtual doors in Vietnam
iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and accessories are all now available in Vietnam via an online Apple Store.
Image: Apple

Vietnam is the latest country to get an online Apple store to shop for iPhone, Mac and other products.

It’s the latest move in the company’s efforts to increase sales in Asia — Thursday’s opening comes a month after Apple opened its first retail stores in India.

Get custom AI pics, posts and even code with Scribbyo

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Get custom AI pics, posts and even code with Scribbyo, now only $49.
Let this AI content generator create stunning images, concise code and more for only $49.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

As artificial intelligence goes mainstream, we’re finally starting to see the emergence of “one-stop shop” tools that can generate nearly any kind of content. Scribbyo is one such AI tool that’s poised to change the game for entrepreneurs, marketers, bloggers and more.

For a limited time, Cult of Mac readers can score this highly customizable AI content generator for only $49 (regularly $864), the best price online.

More Android users switch to iPhone than you might expect

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iPhone shipments grow while Android tanks
Even after all these years, there are lots of Android users who jump ship for iPhone.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The percentage of U.S.-based iPhone owners who just dumped their Android has grown in recent years, according to a market-analysis company.

That’s exactly the opposite of what conventional wisdom says should be happening. Nevertheless, the percentage of Android switchers hasn’t been this high since 2018.

The Big Door Prize season finale spits out cliffhangers large and small [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Chris O’Dowd and Gabrielle Dennis in ★★★★☆
Surprise! The Morpho machine has even bigger mysteries to spin.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewThe Big Door Prize closes its first season with a blackout at Deerfest and a big twist from the Morpho. The show, about a mysterious machine that reads people’s futures, throws harsh weather and hard truths at its cast of misfit townies this week.

Father Reuben and Hana experience a few troubling realizations. Cass and Izzy have another blow-up. Jacob and Trina try to make it through their first real date. And more than one storm is brewing in this compelling cap to a winning season of a wonderful show.

Review roundup: New Beats Studio Buds+ win with cool clear case and audio upgrades

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Transparent plastic is a new look for Beats.
Transparent plastic is a new look for Beats.
Photo: Amazon/Beats

The new Beats Studio Buds+ went on sale Wednesday as numerous initial reviews praised their good looks and tech upgrades.

Nearly every reviewer loved the ’90s-nostalgic, iMacs-of-yore transparent case option. And the new custom chipset for audio quality, new microphones for better active noise cancellation (ANC) and voice calls, and longer battery life aren’t bad, either. If you’re looking for the newest Beats, these upgrades make them a solid choice.

But some features are still missing on the $169.99 buds, up $20 from the original Beats Studio Buds when they came out — but $80 less than AirPods Pro (2nd generation) for thrifty shoppers.

Apple’s new Personal Voice tech might make texting more personalized

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Apple’s new Personal Voice tech might make texting more personal
Imagine getting a text from a friend and your iPhone reads it to you in your friend’s voice.
Photo: Rodolfo Clix/Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s newly announced Personal Voice technology enables an iPhone to read text in the user’s own voice. The same tech could be used to read incoming text messages in the sender’s own voice, making them feel more personal.

This isn’t a theory — Apple submitted a patent for exactly this idea in early 2023.

Class up your look with a two-tone Italian leather Apple Watch band

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It's not just supple Italian leather, it's two eye-catching colors.
It's not just supple Italian leather, it's two eye-catching colors.
Photo: Olpr. leather goods co.

When it comes to watch bands — those made for Apple Watch or otherwise — it doesn’t get more classic than leather. And if it’s supple Italian leather from Tuscany, all the better. And if it costs less than $50, well, that’s pretty much the best.

Right now you can get slender Italian bands for Apple Watch for just $49 in the Cult of Mac Store.

Ted Lasso starts to wrap up loose ends this week [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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Toheeb Jimoh and Phil Dunster in ★★★☆☆
Toheeb Jimoh and Phil Dunster in "Ted Lasso," now streaming on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+’s runaway hit Ted Lasso starts closing up shop this week as the show nears the end of season three. The stars of AFC Richmond are out of town, but that doesn’t mean we can’t wrap up some loose ends.

Keeley finds herself without a job or an office. Rebecca has a big meeting, and one small chance to make a difference. Roy starts thinking about human connection. Sam suffers a series of letdowns. And Nate goes on a soul-searching trip back home.

While undoubtedly enervating, this week’s episode, entitled “International Break,” occasionally scores a win.

Dual curved displays set at crazy angles for sane reason [Setups]

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To get a better idea of the screen angles, see the image below.
To get a better idea of the screen angles, see the image below.
Photo: [email protected]

If you’re considering going with two external displays in your computer setup, you might find some inspiration in today’s featured MacBook Pro workstation with two slick gaming displays.

The laptop drives two stacked, ultra-wide, curved displays that are mounted — and even carefully angled — for the best ergonomics, resulting no eye or neck strain.

Bass wheel sets Skullcandy’s new headphones apart

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Crusher ANC 2 feature 3 ways to adjust Skullcandy's proprietary haptic bass.
Crusher ANC 2 feature 3 ways to adjust Skullcandy's proprietary haptic bass.
Photo: Skullcandy

Skullcandy unveiled its latest over-ear headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC) Tuesday — the updated Crusher ANC 2 Sensory Bass Headphones.

And the company’s serious enough about the low end to include a dedicated wheel on the left ear cup so you can crank the bass. That’s in addition to other customization options as well as an impressive feature set for cans that cost $229.99.

Another Apple employee allegedly caught stealing self-driving car tech for China

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Until the Apple Car is officially announced, all we have are concepts like this one.
The Apple car is still on the drawing board, but that doesn't stop Chinese companies from wanting to steal details of it.
Concept: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

An Apple employee was recently indicted for allegedly transferring trade secrets about self-driving car technology to a Chinese company. This marks the third such incident.

The cases seem quite similar: Chinese companies hire the workers, who then get caught attempting to bring Apple’s proprietary information with them when they leave the United States.

These $34 bone-conduction headphones won’t clog your ears

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Listen safely almost anywhere with these $34 open ear headphones.
Keep your earholes free with these headphones' bone-conduction technology.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We all love to listen to music, and personal audio gear has evolved in many ways over the decades. For the most part, improvements in the tech have been focused on sound quality and portability. But these Open Ear Induction Stereo Wireless Headphones finally make a relatively new feature affordable.

For only $33.99 (regularly $109), you can have the ability to hear your tunes and the outside world without one disturbing the other.

High Desert is the right kind of rolling disaster [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Episode 3. Patricia Arquette in ★★★★☆
Peggy Newman (played by Patricia Arquette) is a marvelous disaster in edgy new comedy High Desert.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ Review In the tragicomic new Apple TV+ series High Desert, Patricia Arquette plays Peggy Newman, a drug addict and serial liar/improviser who’s trying to remake her life after her husband goes to jail and ruins her social standing.

The perpetually broke and broken Peggy is a marvelous creation. The first three episodes of High Desert arrived on Apple TV+ today, and the show is mighty good company.

Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone expands to Australia

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Tap to Pay on iPhone expands to Australia
Tap to Pay on iPhone expands to Australia.
Photo: Apple

Apple has expanded iPhone’s Tap to Pay feature to businesses in Australia. This will allow them to accept payments from customers directly using their iPhones.

All kinds of businesses, irrespective of their size, can accept payments using Apple Pay and Tap to Pay.

Apple rejected nearly 1.7 million App Store submissions in 2022

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Apple rejected nearly 1.7 million Apple Store submissions in 2022
It's up to Apple's App Review team to prevent malware from sneaking onto its software store.
Graphic: Apple

Keeping bad applications out of the App Store is a monumental task — Apple says it denied 1.7 million apps submitted for approval in 2022. That’s out of 6.1 million, and it’s an increase from the previous year.

And Apple also blocked nearly 3.9 million stolen credit cards from being used to make fraudulent purchases on the App Store. Plus, the iPhone-maker blocked millions of fake reviews.

Photomator for Mac launches as a low-cost rival to Photoshop

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Photomator for Mac launches as a low-cost rival to Photoshop
Photomator for Mac is designed for pros, but doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
Photo: Pixelmator

The powerful image-editing application that used to be called Pixelmator Photo when it was only available for iPad and iPhone launched Tuesday on Mac as Photomator.

It promises state-of-the-art color adjustments, AI tools, powerful Repair and Clone tools, and batch editing. But it faces tough competition from Adobe Photoshop.

Wireless car charger automatically clamps onto iPhone

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This wireless car charger with auto-clamp makes it easy to handle your iPhone while you drive.
This wireless car charger with auto-clamp makes it easy to handle your iPhone while you drive.
Photo: Elago

Everybody knows it’s dangerous to use your iPhone while driving. In order to do so safely and hands-free, you need a car mount. And what could be better than a wireless charger mount that senses and grabs onto your phone for you? No need to take your eyes off the road to carefully place it just so.

Elago now offers just such an auto-clamping car charger in the Cult of Mac Store.

Apple promises Live Speech, Personal Voice, and Point and Speak are coming to iOS

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Apple promises Live Speech, Personal Voice, and Point and Speak are coming to iOS 17
Apple will bring Assistive Access, Live Speech and Personal Voice to iPad and iPhone.
Photo: Apple

Just can’t wait for WWDC23? Apparently, Apple can’t either because it’s already starting announcing new features that will almost certainly be in iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and macOS 14.

These are aimed at those with disabilities, and include Live Speech and Personal Voice. These will allow those with speech disabilities to participate in conversations in a synthesized voice that sounds like the user.

This AI-powered drone flies itself and captures interesting images

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This AI-powered drone is now only $149.99.
Snap a photo or video from midair with this drone that uses artificial intelligence to capture aerial images.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

AI image generators are exciting, but there’s another way for artificial intelligence to give you a great photo. The self-flying Air Neo camera drone uses AI to lock onto you and snap a few photos from the air.

This AI-powered drone is on sale for $149.99 (regularly $159). 

iMessage comes to Windows via Microsoft Phone Link for iOS [Updated]

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iMessage comes to Windows via Microsoft Phone Link for iOS
Quick, someone check to see if hell has frozen over.
Photo: Microsoft

Windows users can now send and receive messages and calls via an iPhone. The new capability — which many thought would never happen — comes courtesy of Microsoft’s Phone Link for iOS, which is rolling out now.

This is the latest software release from Microsoft to make it easier for Windows users to own an iPhone.

Microsoft started rolling the feature out in April, and announced on Monday it’s available to all Windows 11 users.

Get 14 powerful Mac apps for one low price

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Give your Mac a very particular set of skills with the Mac Madness App Bundle.
Give your Mac a very particular set of skills with the Mac Madness App Bundle.
Photo: Wes Hicks/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

Your Mac can’t do everything right out of the box. The Mac Madness App Bundle gives you 14 Mac apps especially suited for various tasks, from exporting photo metadata to batch-converting audio files.

These apps will give your Mac a very particular set of skills, just like Liam Neeson in Taken. And you can get lifetime licenses to all 14 of them for just $19.99 (regularly $74.86).