Apple and Google jointly proposed an industry specification Tuesday to help fight the misuse of Bluetooth location-tracking devices. Their proposal would make it easier for both iPhone and Android users to detect that they are being surreptitiously followed by a tracking device.
The proposal enjoys support from other makers of location trackers, too.
If you want to show your mom how much you care, take her out for a nice dinner on Mother’s Day. You might not have to set aside much if you use a $100 Restaurant.com eGift Card to purchase gift certificates at restaurants in all 50 states.
The high interest rates offered by Apple Card Savings reportedly brought an enormous rush of deposits in the first days after the financial service became available in mid-April. The savings accounts for iPhone users pulled in nearly $1 billion in only the first four days.
And that was weeks ago, so it’s almost certainly well over the billion dollar milestone by now.
Whether you want to take incredible aerial photos or give the ultimate gift to gadget lovers, a 4K camera drone fits the bill perfectly.
Right now, you can grab a two-for-one deal with this awesome bundle that includes the Alpha Z Pro 4K and Flying Fox 4K. Typically $398, this drone bundle is on sale for only $149.99. Save one for yourself and give one to a friend. Or, keep both for the ultimate nature photography kit.
★★★★☆
You’ll find plenty of multiport GaN chargers in the market. Unfortunately, most of them will struggle to charge your MacBook Pro at full speed alongside other devices.
When traveling, this could force you to carry an extra power brick. This is where Chargeasap’s Zeus 270W USB-C charger comes in. It packs enough power to charge multiple devices simultaneously. As a result, it’s become my go-to travel charger on road trips and vacations.
Apple will announce iOS 17 in about a month, and the details are leaking out at a furious rate. For those who can’t wait, here’s what we already know about the next major update to the iPhone operating system.
Expect a significant revamp the Control Center, along with tweaks to the Lock Screen, Wallet, Dynamic Island and more. And sideloading of apps, but not for everyone.
More people use Apple Safari as their desktop web browser than Microsoft Edge. In the battle of the default browsers, Apple is now winning.
Of course, there’s a third competitor that’s really in first place.
If you want to give visitors to your website or app a personalized experience and also boost your bottom line, it pays to use a fast and versatile geolocation application programming interface (API) like IPWhoIs.io.
We’ll get into the benefits of geolocation services via IPWhoIs.io below. And it even has a free version that suits many users, or a flexible choice of inexpensive plans.
One of the first major studies of the surge in remote work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic suggests out-of-office workers face a “hidden penalty.”
It’s a reduction in feedback and guidance, which may harm people early in their careers the most. The study looked at engineers at a large technology company and the way they offered feedback on each other’s code.
Many computer setups check all the functionality boxes at a cost of thousands of dollars. But who doesn’t love a complete setup that comes in at bargain-basement cost? Today’s featured MacBook Air workstation seems to cover all the bases without breaking the bank for the user, a nursing student.
How is the setup so affordable? In large part, because it relies on lesser-known brands and, in some cases, older equipment.
Car thefts are on the rise in New York City, and Gotham’s finest are turning to Apple’s AirTag trackers for help. On Sunday, Mayor Eric Adams and the NYPD said 500 free AirTags would go to residents by request in the police precinct hardest hit by car thieves.
“This simple device, this simple AirTag, hidden in a car location that a person is not aware, of is an excellent tracking device,” Adams said. “It’s easy to monitor. You can see in real-time where the vehicle is located.”
You can use a free Mac app called LocationSimulator to hide your real location on your iPhone. It works great as a Pokémon Go spoofer. Just set it up, then plug your phone into a Mac and tell it where you want to “be.” You don’t need to jailbreak your phone or install anything on it.
When using LocationSimulator, every app on your iPhone will use this new GPS location. It’s useful for maintaining privacy — for instance, if you’re posting screenshots online, it’ll mask your real home address. Developers can use it, too, for testing location features in their apps.
Best of all, you just need a Mac. LocationSimulator is free and open-source.
As iPhone 14 Pro owners already know, the latest generation of Apple’s signature device can do a whole lot. But just because you’ve got the “next big thing” doesn’t mean you can’t go bigger. This six-piece iPhone 14 Pro accessory bundle will make your sexy smartphone cooler and easier to use in multiple ways.
Apple reportedly will make meaningful improvements to the Stage Manager multitasking feature in iPadOS 17. Tweaks and additions include support for streaming multiple audio/video sources simultaneously, external monitor webcam support and more.
These changes should make Stage Manager much more useful, especially when connecting your iPad to an external monitor.
Production on the second season of Severance, the Apple TV+ thriller about a profoundly creepy workplace, has seen delays because the series’ two showrunners hate each other, according to a recent report.
Scripts were scrapped amid the two not speaking to each other as director Ben Stiller searched for help. And it seems he finally found it. Stiller also downplayed on-set drama in a tweet.
Apple Watch reportedly will get iOS-like widgets when watchOS 10 arrives later this year. Plus, Apple might change the way some Apple Watch buttons work.
The company plans to make these changes to give Apple Watch users faster access to important information. Widgets will mean users won’t need to open a dedicated app to quickly see an overview of vital information at a glance
We all need more space for our photos, videos and files, especially as picture quality (and file size) is ever-increasing. If you’ve ever faced the dreaded “iPhone Storage Full” notification, or even missed out on taking photos of precious memories as a result, you’ll know how frustrating it is to run out of space. What you need, then, is a hefty cloud storage option to keep all your files safe.
One of the best out there is Prism Drive cloud storage. And right now, you can get a lifetime subscription to 10TB of secure cloud storage for only $89.99 (regularly $2,490). That’s the best price you’ll find on the web.
Creating stunning images is made easier than ever with the power of AI photo editing. The latest software allows you to bring your ideas to life, regardless of your graphic design training (or lack thereof).
The award-winning Luminar Neo is one of the best AI photo editors out there. And right now, you can grab a lifetime bundle that includes the software and a range of add-on packs for only $119.99 (regularly $400). That’s the best price you’ll find on the web.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The iOS 17 leaks start drip, drip, dripping out as we approach Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. Sounds like a minor update overall, but there’s some interesting stuff coming down the pike.
Also on The CultCast:
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.
Ghosted had the most successful launch of any Apple TV+ film since the debut of the streaming service. Enough viewers tuned in to the action flick starring Chris Evans and Ana de Armas to push it near the top of the charts.
And the third — possibly final — season of the comedy Ted Lasso continues to draw plenty of eyes.
Accessories maker iOttie unveiled two new MagSafe car mounts for iPhone this week, including one with smart cooling.
The Velox Pro with the cooling feature is top of the line, while the Velox Mini is more affordable.
★★★☆☆
Apple TV+ thriller The Last Thing He Told Me hits the books this week as Bailey and Hannah recover from some dead ends and track down some new promising leads in the search for a missing man.
The limited series, about an AWOL software programmer and the trail of devastation he left behind him, finds bereaved Hannah and Bailey inching closer to the truth of who their husband/father really was, while the noose tightens back home. The episode, entitled “Witness to Your Life,” is a reasonably gripping installment of a show that’s getting a little better with each episode.
Apple has shared its annual Mother’s Day gift guide to help you celebrate your mom on May 14 in the United States and many other countries. Dozens of gift ideas, from AirTags to iPhones to various accessories, cover a range of prices from $15 to about $1,000.
And you can “make it mom’s” with free engraving of emojis and messages on a range of gifts, too.
Esteemed Danish audio brand Bang & Olufsen unveiled its new portable Beosound A5 speaker Thursday. The pricey and powerful device’s design results from a collaboration with the Danish-Italian duo GamFratesi.
“Beosound A5 is our new high-end portable speaker which combines Bang & Olufsen’s long-standing approach to timeless design with our vision on sound for the future,” said VP of Product Marketing Michael Henriksson.
“We’re excited to collaborate with GamFratesi for the first time, to create two speaker designs that are rooted in a Scandinavian aesthetic with a distinct design signature on their own,” he added.
★★★★☆
New Apple TV+ series Drops of God, about a contest of senses to win the fortune of the world’s most famous eccentric wine connoisseur, hits a roadblock this week. Issei considers quitting — and Camille isn’t 100% she’s ready to face him if he doesn’t.
Plus, Camille hatches an elaborate plot to get herself back on equal footing with Issei. And Issei’s plans to save face don’t go as planned. Entitled “Duel,” it’s a most exciting episode of this excitingly peculiar show.