Get your Montana digital driver’s license today! Image: Montana Motor Vehicle Division
Montana became the eleventh U.S. state or territory to support digital driver’s licenses and IDs stored in the Wallet app on iPhone or Apple Watch on Tuesday.
The major advantage is speeding up the process of moving through security checkpoints at airports, though there are other uses, too.
OWC Express 1M2 80G holds up to 8TB, or put in your own NVMe M.2 SSD. Photo: OWC
Professionals who need an SSD with terabytes of storage and crazy-fast data transfers have a new option: the OWC Express 1M2 80G. The drive offers up to 8TB of capacity, and because it uses Thunderbolt 5, the SSD offers 48GBps real-world data transfers.
It’s available in a range of storage capacities, or users can insert their own NVMe M.2 SSD.
Relations between Apple and Google started strong, but quickly deteriorated. Photo: Apple/Google logos
August 19, 2004: Google floats its initial public offering on the stock market. The Google IPO cements the company’s status as a tech giant, as founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin turn into instant billionaires.
Relations between Google and Apple are good at the time, with Apple CEO Steve Jobs serving as a mentor to the search company’s two young founders. Google’s Eric Schmidt soon will join Apple’s board of directors. However, the peace won’t last long.
★★★★☆
We went hands-on with the wee little Rolling Square Supertiny. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Rolling Square claims, “Supertiny is the smallest 65W GaN Charger ever.” It’s definitely very small, but can still quickly power up a MacBook or other full-size computer.
I put the claims to the test and came away impressed. I do have one caution, though.
The U.K. won’t try to violate your privacy. Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
The United Kingdom government gave up its demand for a backdoor into encrypted Apple iCloud accounts.
Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. director of national intelligence, announced the change late Monday. The DNI had been fighting the attempt to violate the privacy of Americans since word of the U.K.’s plan first came to light.
Why waste time and/or money on voiceovers? Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
You can quickly turn a blog post into a polished podcast episode with AI voice generator SpeakBreez. It works in any modern web browser and can turn your Apple gear into a voiceover powerhouse for a one-time payment of $349 (regularly $2,200).
The latest iOS 27 beta is light on changes. Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult Of Mac
Apple continues testing iOS 26, releasing the seventh beta build to developers on August 18, Monday. This is the third consecutive beta from the company in three weeks.
Unlike the last few beta builds, iOS 26 beta 7 doesn’t pack any major changes. Check out everything new in the build below.
Yep, you can always go back to iOS 18 from iOS 26 beta. Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
Installed iOS 26 public beta on your iPhone to try out Liquid Glass and other new features but regretting the decision due to crashes and bugs? Thankfully, you can easily remove the iOS beta and downgrade your iPhone to iOS 18.
The only catch? You will need to restore an older backup or start from scratch with your setup. If that doesn’t convince you to ride out the bugginess, follow the steps below to revert your iPhone to iOS 18 from the iOS 26 beta.
Mary Steenburgen and Jake Johnson star in The Dink, a comedy that revolves around the sometimes-reviled sport of pickleball. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple Original Films said Monday it acquired The Dink, a new comedy movie starring Jake Johnson as a faded tennis player who embraces the sport that shall not be named: pickleball.
Josh Greenbaum (Will & Harper and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) will direct a promising cast led by Johnson (New Girl and Minx), along with Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris and Chloe Fineman.
Comedy legend (and Severance executive producer) Ben Stiller will make an on-screen appearance. As will actual tennis stars Andy Roddick and John McEnroe.
iPhone 16e's successor could feature Dynamic Island in place of a notch. Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Apple’s budget iPhone might get a significant visual overhaul in 2026, with the iPhone 17e ditching the notch in favor of the Dynamic Island, according to a new leak.
That would finally bring the modern Dynamic Island experience, which debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro, to price-conscious consumers. However, the leaker didn’t clarify whether we can count on Apple adding MagSafe to the new budget phone, a key feature left out of the iPhone 16e.
The DoCast app makes it easy to mirror your iPhone or iPad to Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV and more. Photo: Electronic Team
If you want to mirror iPhone to TV, Apple’s built-in AirPlay is a great option. But what if your TV doesn’t support AirPlay?
Enter the DoCast screen mirroring app for iOS, a comprehensive screen mirroring app that supports Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV and DLNA-enabled TVs. It bridges the gap between your iPhone or iPad to stream high-quality video, music or pictures to almost any smart TV.
iJustine's reaction to her massive 300-page iPhone bill fueled one of the first iPhone "scandals." Photo: iJustine
August 18, 2007: A video goes viral on YouTube when 23-year-old internet personality Justine Ezarik, aka iJustine, posts a 300-page iPhone bill mailed to her in a box by AT&T.
The bill — which lists every single action that consumed cellular data on Ezarik’s brand-new iPhone — is quickly viewed by 3 million people and receives extensive media coverage. (You can watch it below.)
This DVD ripper for WIndows is now 50% off! Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Streaming is broken. Your favorite movies disappear, hop between platforms or get locked behind new paywalls. You don’t really own anything, you just rent it until it vanishes — again. That’s why physical media is having a comeback moment. And, if you’ve got a stack of DVDs collecting dust, this new DVD ripper software can turn them into stream-from-anywhere files.
We know a lot about the likely iPhone 17 Air features. Photo: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac
Apple will shake up its iPhone lineup this September with the introduction of the iPhone 17 Air, a dramatically thinner device that could replace the Plus model entirely. Based on numerous reports and leaks we’ve included in this iPhone 17 Air rumor roundup, this new phone promises to be Apple’s most significant design departure in years.
Apple might shake up the traditional iPhone release schedule next year. Image: Matteo Vella/Unsplash License/Cult of Mac
Apple might shake up the iPhone release schedule in a big way next year, delaying the iPhone 18 release date until the first quarter of 2027, according to a new report.
Why the big switch? To make room for next year’s standout device: the first folding iPhone.
This man briefly owned Steve Jobs' iPad. Photo: ABC News
August 17, 2012: Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ stolen iPad winds up in the hands of a clown called Kenny, who performs kids’ shows in the San Francisco Bay Area.
It’s a bizarre story all around, and fortunately winds up with the iPad being returned.
The Omni's innovative, flexible backrest provides support for natural motions.
Photo: LiberNovo
With only seven days remaining, the LiberNovo Omni Kickstarter campaign is closing in on the finish line, and it’s already a record-breaker.
With over 8,000 supporters pledging more than $7 million, the Omni has become the highest-funded ergonomic chair in Kickstarter history.
The campaign officially ends August 23, 2025, at 8:51 am Pacific. When it does, the up to 31% early-bird discount will disappear, along with free U.S. shipping, no customs fees and stretch goal rewards. Heard enough? Reserve yours now on Kickstarter.
For Mac users who spend hours perfecting videos in Final Cut Pro, coding the next breakthrough app or designing stunning interfaces, the right workspace setup is everything. But while you’ve invested in the best displays, keyboards and other ergonomic gear, you may overlook one crucial element: a highly adaptable massage office chair that supports you through those marathon creative sessions. And from what we’ve seen, that chair should be the new LiberNovo Omni with its innovative Bionic Flexfit Backrest, available now at a discount on Kickstarter.
Its advanced features work together to keep you comfortable and relaxed through long days of computer work.
Jason Momoa in Chief of War, a hit drama series on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+
Viewers keep rallying behind the action-packed historical drama series Chief of War starring Jason Momoa. High ratings put it among the most popular series on streaming for a second week, according to two different ratings trackers.
And that’s not the only hit this week for Apple TV+. The second season of the comedy Platonic earns good ratings, too.
August 16, 1993: Apple ships the PowerBook 165, a lower-cost, grayscale version of the PowerBook 165c, which was the company’s first laptop to offer a color display.
The new model lacks the most attention-grabbing feature of the 165c, but it also brings its own claim to fame. The PowerBook 165 is Apple’s most affordable laptop yet.
This one charger juices up the holy trinity of Apple devices all at once. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you own an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, a three-in-one wireless charger can eliminate the daily struggle of constantly switching between charging cords. The MagFold 3-in-1 Qi2 Magnetic Wireless Charging Pad only needs a single cable to power up all three of your Apple devices.
It’s great for home and office, and especially convenient for travel, since it’s lightweight and folds up nicely. Get yours for $39.99 (MSRP $59.99).
Here's what the rumors say about the iPhone 17 Pro. Photo: ChatGPT
In less than a month, the iPhone 17 Pro rumors will pay off — or not — when Apple takes the wraps off its iPhone 17 models. While the entire lineup will get a big revamp this year, the iPhone 17 Pro should still be the star of the show.
Leaks and rumors already revealed quite a lot about the iPhone 17 Pro, giving us a solid idea of what’s in store. Here’s a quick refresher of what to expect.
Get a lifetime subscription to BitMar and make streaming easy (and cheap). Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
The Apple TV app keeps trying to simplify streaming, but it’s not an easy nut to crack. If you’re tired of wrestling with all the available streaming options, consider BitMar. This next-gen streaming app brings together a vast array of content into one easy-to-use platform.
Say goodbye to switching between apps and searching through endless menus. With BitMar, everything is organized and accessible in one place (on the devices you already own). The centralized streaming platform allows you to effortlessly find and enjoy your favorite music, TV shows and movies. And you can get a lifetime subscription to BitMar for just $14.99 with code BITMAR5.
Find charging stations from Apple Maps. Image: Ank Kumar/Wikimedia Commons/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Apple Maps makes it easy to find EV charging stations while you’re on the road to figure out where you can top up your electric car. Apple added some powerful new features in iOS 17 to simplify this sometimes-daunting process for EV owners.
Now you can see electric car charger availability, charging speeds and connector types in Apple Maps so you can find a way to juice up your vehicle when on a road trip. Here’s how it works.
On this day in 1998, the world said "hello" to the computer that would save Apple. Photo: Apple
August 15, 1998: The original iMac — Apple’s brightly colored, translucent Macintosh relaunch — goes on sale to a rabid audience. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs‘ first major new product since returning to Cupertino, the internet-ready iMac G3 line will cement his legacy as a forward-thinking tech visionary.
The all-in-one computer also introduces the world to the design talents of Jony Ive — and pretty much saves Apple in the process.
★★★★☆
The Winmaxle Mobdel B1 adds a physical keyboard to your iPhone, and it's easier to type on than a virtual keyboard. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Winmaxle Mobdel B1 can be a physical keyboard for typing on your iPhone, harking back to the days of the BlackBerry. And because it’s also a motion-sensitive mouse, you can use it with your iPad, too. Either way, it’s a handy little gizmo.
I found multiple uses for the wireless keyboard while I was testing it. But I also ran into a limitation that made it not as useful with my iPad as I hoped.